A patient presents to the emergency department with complaints of chills, severe flank pain, dysuria, and urinary frequency. The patient has a temperature of 102.9°F, a pulse of 92 beats/min, respirations of 24 breaths per minute, and a blood pressure of 119/58 mm Hg. The nurse would be correct to suspect that the patient shows signs and symptoms of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should suspect pyelonephritis. Pyelonephritis is characterized by fever, chills, severe flank pain, dysuria, urinary urgency and frequency, and pyuria and bacteriuria. Clinical manifestations of acute cystitis include dysuria, urinary urgency and frequency, suprapubic discomfort, pyuria, and bacteriuria. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very general and are classified by their location. These symptoms are specific to pyelonephritis. Prostatitis is manifested by high fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, localized pain, and various UTI symptoms but not by severe flank pain.

A Patient Presents to the Emergency Department with Complaints of Chills