A mother has brought her young son to the emergency department (ED). The mother tells the triage nurse that the boy was stung by a bee about an hour ago. The mother explains to the nurse, It hurts him so bad and it looks swollen, red, and infected. What can the triage nurse teach the mother?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cells or tissues of the body may be injured or killed by any agent (physical, chemical, infectious). When this happens, an inflammatory response (or inflammation) naturally occurs in the healthy tissues adjacent to the injury site. Inflammation is not the same as infection. An infectious agent is only one of several agents that may trigger an inflammatory response. Although bee stings may cause infection, the signs and symptoms (very painful, looks swollen and red) result from the acute inflammatory response. If the stinger were still in the wound, it would only be creating inflammation, not infection. Antibiotics are not indicated.

A Mother Has Brought Her Young Son to the Emergency