A nurse is taking care of a child with a possible diagnosis of meningitis. The nurse knows to look for which laboratory results to verify the diagnosis?
Decreased pressure and cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein level.
Clear cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose.
Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a low protein and low glucose.
Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose levels.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Decreased pressure and cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein level. Meningitis usually causes increased intracranial pressure, not decreased.
B. Clear cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose. Clear CSF is typically seen in viral meningitis, but bacterial meningitis more often causes cloudy CSF.
C. Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a low protein and low glucose. While glucose is low in bacterial meningitis, protein is typically elevated due to the infection.
D. Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose levels. This finding is consistent with bacterial meningitis, where the CSF is cloudy, protein is elevated due to inflammation, and glucose is low because bacteria consume glucose.
Free Nursing Test Bank
- Free Pharmacology Quiz 1
- Free Medical-Surgical Quiz 2
- Free Fundamentals Quiz 3
- Free Maternal-Newborn Quiz 4
- Free Anatomy and Physiology Quiz 5
- Free Obstetrics and Pediatrics Quiz 6
- Free Fluid and Electrolytes Quiz 7
- Free Community Health Quiz 8
- Free Promoting Health across the Lifespan Quiz 9
- Free Multidimensional Care Quiz 10
View Related questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. "Give her acetaminophen, not aspirin.": Aspirin is contraindicated in children due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious condition that affects the liver and brain, especially during viral illnesses like the flu or chickenpox. Acetaminophen is a safer alternative for fever management in children.
B. "You'll have to call your physician.": While seeking physician advice is important, the nurse has a duty to provide accurate, immediate, evidence-based guidance to prevent harm.
C. "Give her no more than three baby aspirin every 4 hours.": Recommending aspirin dosing is unsafe due to the risk of Reye's syndrome.
D. "Follow the directions on the aspirin bottle for her age and weight.": Providing this advice without addressing safety concerns is inappropriate and potentially harmful.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Aura: An aura is a subjective sensation experienced before a seizure, such as a strange smell, taste, or visual change. It can provide clues about the seizure's origin in the brain, often linked to the temporal lobe.
B. Blood Pressure 90/60: Blood pressure is an objective, measurable sign, not subjective data reported by the child.
C. Oxygenation on room air 97%: Oxygenation levels are objective and do not provide information about seizure origin.
D. Temperature 38 degrees Celsius: Temperature is objective and does not help localize the seizure's origin in the brain.