Pediatric Nursing Flashcards

A young patient is receiving medication intraosseously from Nurse Pressy. When a child is: Intraosseous medication delivery is frequently utilized when:

Answer: Critically ill and under age 3

Intraosseous (IO) access is a critical emergency procedure for administering fluids and medications when intravenous access is difficult or impossible to obtain. It is particularly effective in critically ill infants and young children, typically under the age of 6 (often emphasized for those under 3), because their bone marrow cavities are more accessible and provide a rapid, non-collapsible route to the central circulation.

When doing an I.M. Which place should the nurse in charge choose for an injection to an infant?

Answer: Vastus lateralis

The vastus lateralis muscle, located in the anterolateral thigh, is the preferred and safest site for intramuscular injections in infants and young children. This muscle is large and well-developed, providing sufficient mass for medication absorption, and it is free from major nerves and blood vessels, minimizing the risk of injury compared to other injection sites.

Nurse Rose believes that a 4-year-old youngster is being physically neglected. Which question should the nurse ask the parents in order to properly assess the child's nutritional status?

Answer: “What did your child eat for breakfast?”

To accurately assess a child's nutritional status, especially when neglect is suspected, the nurse needs specific, objective information about the child's actual food intake. Asking about a recent meal, such as breakfast, provides concrete data regarding the types and quantities of food consumed. This direct approach is more reliable than subjective parental opinions or general questions about eating habits.

When Doris takes her infant in for a well-baby checkup, she asks the nurse when she should start feeding him solid meals. Which solid food should be introduced initially, per the nurse's instructions?

Answer: Rice cereal

Single-grain, iron-fortified rice cereal is traditionally recommended as the first solid food for infants, typically introduced around 4-6 months of age. It is easily digestible, has a low allergenic potential, and provides essential iron, which breastfed infants may begin to deplete around this developmental stage. Other foods are introduced gradually after the infant tolerates rice cereal.

The nurse in charge notices an infant's unusually low-set ears during a physical examination. This discovery is related to:

Answer: Renal anomalies

Unusually low-set ears are a dysmorphic feature often associated with various genetic syndromes and congenital anomalies, particularly those affecting the kidneys and urinary tract. During embryonic development, the ears and kidneys develop concurrently, meaning that malformations in one organ system can frequently indicate potential issues or anomalies in the other.

The nurse is looking for evidence of improvement in a female youngster who has acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. Which observation often represents the first indication of progress?

Answer: Increased urine output

Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) often presents with oliguria (decreased urine output) due to impaired kidney function. An increase in urine output is a primary and early indicator that the kidneys are beginning to recover and effectively excrete excess fluid and waste products. This observation signifies a crucial step towards improvement in the child's condition.

Wilms tumor is discovered in a young child. The nurse in charge of the assessment hopes to find:

Answer: An abdominal mass

Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma) is a common kidney cancer in children, and its most frequent presenting sign is an asymptomatic, firm, non-tender abdominal mass. This mass is often discovered incidentally by a parent during routine care, such as bathing or dressing the child. While other symptoms like hematuria or hypertension can occur, the abdominal mass is the hallmark finding.