The nurse in a pediatric clinic is assessing an infant who is 6 months of age. The infant is pale with poor muscle tone. Auscultation reveals tachycardia; in addition, the infant is at the 35th percentile for both height and weight. The physician orders laboratory testing. Which laboratory value does the nurse expect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described (pale with poor muscle tone, tachycardia, and being at the 35th percentile for both height and weight) suggest anemia, which is often characterized by small, pale red blood cells (RBCs), indicating a deficiency in hemoglobin. This is consistent with the expected laboratory finding of RBCs that are small in size and pale (microcytic, hypochromic anemia).

The Nurse in a Pediatric Clinic Is Assessing an Infant