Question

The pediatric nurse provides care for clients in an acute care hospital setting. Which client requires the nurse's immediate attention?

a. A toddler, diagnosed with croup, who gags during self-feeding.
B. An adolescent whose intravenous (IV) catheter site is puffy and cool to the touch.
C. A preschooler who is crying from pain but refusing medication.
D. A school-ager, admitted for the treatment of acute asthma, who lacks audible wheezing.

Answer 1

The client who requires the pediatric nurse's immediate attention is a school-ager admitted for acute asthma with no audible wheezing (option D), which could indicate a severe, life-threatening asthma attack requiring urgent intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pediatric nurse must prioritize patient care based on the severity and immediacy of each client's condition. In this scenario, the client who requires immediate attention is:

D. A school-ager, admitted for the treatment of acute asthma, who lacks audible wheezing.

Lack of audible wheezing in an individual with acute asthma could indicate that little to no air is moving in the lungs, which is an emergency situation. This condition is known as a "silent chest" and is a concern for an asthma attack that could become life-threatening if not addressed immediately. Immediate assessment and intervention are crucial to prevent further respiratory compromise.

Though the other situations do require attention, they are not as immediately life-threatening as a potential severe asthma attack. A toddler gagging during self-feeding may need monitoring to prevent aspiration, an adolescent with a puffy and cool IV site may have an infiltration, and a preschooler crying from pain needs assessment and pain management, but none of these situations are as acute as a severe asthma attack with silent chest.