A nurse is caring for a 3-day-old newborn and suspects Hirschsprung disease. What finding best supports the nurse's concern?
The infant has passed several tar-like stools.
The infant has not gained weight and has stooled once.
The infant has not stooled.
The infant has passed hard, pellet-like stools.
The Correct Answer is C
Rationale:
A. Passing tar-like stools is normal for newborns within the first few days of life and does not indicate Hirschsprung disease.
B. Limited stooling and poor weight gain may suggest feeding issues but are not as indicative of Hirschsprung disease as the absence of stool.
C. The absence of stool (failure to pass meconium within 24-48 hours) is a classic sign of Hirschsprung disease, a condition where the absence of ganglion cells in the intestines leads to a blockage.
D. Passing hard, pellet-like stools may indicate constipation but is not specific to Hirschsprung disease, especially in a newborn.
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Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Projectile vomiting is a classic sign of pyloric stenosis, where the thickened pylorus muscle obstructs the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine, causing forceful vomiting.
B. Large amounts of bilious emesis would suggest an obstruction beyond the pylorus, which is not characteristic of pyloric stenosis.
C. Watery diarrhea is not associated with pyloric stenosis, which typically causes dehydration and constipation.
D. Steatorrhea, or fatty stools, is not a feature of pyloric stenosis but rather is associated with malabsorption syndromes.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Keeping a dedicated thermometer in the toddler's room is an appropriate infection control measure to prevent cross-contamination with other patients.
B. RSV is primarily transmitted through droplet and contact, not airborne, so contact and droplet precautions are more appropriate than airborne precautions.
C. Nebulized racemic epinephrine is not typically used for RSV; it is more commonly used for croup. Treatment for RSV may include supportive care such as hydration and oxygen therapy.
D. While monitoring pulse oximetry is important, assessing it every 3 hours might be insufficient. Continuous monitoring may be more appropriate depending on the severity of the illness.