While monitoring a patient on the ventilator being treated for pneumonia you notice continued fever spikes,elevated white blood cell count,and repeated positive cultures.What term is used to describe this clinical finding?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Certain laboratory parameters can be monitored to assess the efficacy of an antimicrobial regimen,but ultimately the clinical assessment of the patient is the best measure of response to therapy.Treatment failure may manifest as continued fever spikes,elevated white blood cell count (WBC),repeated positive cultures,or nonresolution of symptoms (shortness of breath,cough,sputum production).The reasons for failure can be multifactorial and require consideration of all the aforementioned factors.In addition,noncompliance with the treatment regimen can play a significant role in outpatient treatment failures.

While Monitoring a Patient on the Ventilator Being Treated for Pneumonia