Which diagnostic test is the most definitive test used to detect meningitis?
CBC
Urinalysis
CT scan
Lumbar puncture
The Correct Answer is D
A. CBC: A CBC can indicate infection (elevated white blood cell count), but it is not specific for meningitis.
B. Urinalysis: Urinalysis is not relevant for diagnosing meningitis.
C. CT scan: A CT scan can detect complications like increased intracranial pressure but does not diagnose meningitis directly.
D. Lumbar puncture: A lumbar puncture allows direct analysis of CSF for glucose, protein, white blood cells, and organisms, which is definitive for diagnosing meningitis.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Restrain the toddler for 1 hr after the procedure: Restraint is not appropriate post-procedure. The child should be monitored for complications but not physically restrained unless medically necessary.
B. Place the toddler in a side-lying, knee-chest position: This position flexes the spine and opens the spaces between the vertebrae, allowing for easier access to the subarachnoid space for the lumbar puncture.
C. Ask another nurse to assist with holding the toddler in a prone position: The prone position is incorrect for lumbar punctures. The side-lying, knee-chest position is standard.
D. Swaddle the toddler in a warm blanket: Swaddling may comfort the toddler but does not facilitate the lumbar puncture.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
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.