22.3k views
4 votes
A nurse is reviewing the laboratory report of a 7-year-old child who is receiving chemotherapy. Which of the following lab values should the nurse report to the provider?

A) Hemoglobin 11 g/dL
B) Platelet count 150,000/mm3
C) White blood cell count 3000/mm3
D) Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 2500/mm3

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The White blood cell count of 3000/mm³ should be reported to the provider, as it is on the lower edge of the normal range and could be indicative of leukopenia due to chemotherapy.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse reviewing the laboratory report of a 7-year-old child receiving chemotherapy should report to the provider the lab value of a White blood cell count (WBC) of 3000/mm³. This is due to the fact that normal WBC counts are generally considered "healthy" when they range from 3.5 to 11 x 10⁹ cells/L. A WBC of 3000/mm³ suggests leukopenia, which can occur as an adverse effect of chemotherapy, indicating a reduction in WBCs that could make the patient more susceptible to infections. Since normal ranges can vary across age, this count is on the lower edge for a child and could be a concern. Normal platelet counts typically range from 150,000 to 450,000/mm³, so a count of 150,000/mm³ is on the lower end but still within the normal range. An ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count) of 2500/mm³ is within a safe range for most chemotherapy protocols, which often consider an ANC under 1500/mm³ as a critical value. Lastly, a Hemoglobin level of 11 g/dL is considered normal for a child, as iron deficiency anemia in children is characterized by hemoglobin levels of 5 to 9 g/100 ml, or 7 to 11 g/dL.

User Fernker
by
8.7k points