Question

2) Case Studies Chapter 37: Nursing Care of the Child With an Infectious or Communicable Disorder 1. Mrs. Acton, the mother of 6-year-old Christina, calls the physician’s office to speak to the nurse. Mrs. Acton is concerned because Christina went to a birthday party 8 days ago and was exposed to the chickenpox. (Learning Objectives 4 and 5) a. What information would be appropriate to give to Mrs. Acton? b. What data would be important for the nurse to gather when speaking with Mrs. Acton? 2. Six-month-old Joshua is brought to the acute care center by his parents. The parents tell the nurse that Joshua has become “very fussy,” seems to be pulling at his right ear, and is running a fever. The nurse finds the infant’s temperature to be 100.2°F axillary. His weight is 7.7 kg and he is crying inconsolably. Joshua’s anterior fontanel is flat when he is crying and his skin feels hot to the touch and dry. Joshua’s mother tells the nurse that when the infant saw his physician 10 days ago he weighed 8.1 kg. (Learning Objective 3) a. Based on the data obtained during this assessment by the nurse, what interventions should the nurse expect to provide? b. What child/family teaching would the nurse be expected to provide?

Answer 1

1a

Firstly I will try to comfort her by saying that though it is a contagious infection but most people recover within 1-2weeks.I will make her understand blister-like rash appears on face and trunk and then spread throughout the body but it is not life threatening. Since it is an infection it will be like that of colds and flu and will resokve within a week. Therefore symptomatic management will reduce the intensity of the disease.

b.Subjective data regarding the onset of fever and rashes. objective data include data regarding external conditions of the patients such as warm to touch, irritability and petechiae.

2a

• Assess pain and response to interventions frequently.
• Administer Anslgesics and antipyretics as per order
• Apply cold compress or baths to the area of prutitus
• Provide fluids frequently
• Provide cool mist humidification.

b

Teaching of the patient include comforting with the fact that infants and young children are more susceptible to infection due to immature redponses of the immune system. Two general treatments for infectious disorders are hydration and fever. When the child is experiencing discomfort or cannot keep up with the metabolic demsnds of the fever administer anyipyretics as per the physician order.