Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
About 5 days ago, a 45-year-old patient began experiencing symptoms of what appeared to be a simple upper respiratory tract infection. She has come to the ER after experiencing mild paralysis in her arms and an abnormal heartbeat. While in triage, she suddenly develops difficulty breathing and is sent up to the respiratory unit where you are the charge nurse. In your initial assessment, you discover gross inflammation of her pharynx and tonsils, and the entire area appears to be covered by a grayish-white membrane. You order a throat swab and additional specimens for microbial analysis, and you immediately send the patient into isolation.
-Staining of the specimen from the throat swab revealed the presence of distinct gram-positive club-shaped bacilli.The laboratory technician immediately contacts the local health department and begins the process of submitting specimens for PCR testing to the CDC.The suspected pathogen is

Question

Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
 About 5 days ago, a 45-year-old patient began experiencing symptoms of what appeared to be a simple upper respiratory tract infection. She has come to the ER after experiencing mild paralysis in her arms and an abnormal heartbeat. While in triage, she suddenly develops difficulty breathing and is sent up to the respiratory unit where you are the charge nurse. In your initial assessment, you discover gross inflammation of her pharynx and tonsils, and the entire area appears to be covered by a grayish-white membrane. You order a throat swab and additional specimens for microbial analysis, and you immediately send the patient into isolation.
-Staining of the specimen from the throat swab revealed the presence of distinct gram-positive club-shaped bacilli.The laboratory technician immediately contacts the local health department and begins the process of submitting specimens for PCR testing to the CDC.The suspected pathogen is

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gram-positive club-shaped bacilli and the presence of a grayish-white membrane on the pharynx and tonsils strongly suggest diphtheria, caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The rapid onset of symptoms and the need for immediate isolation further support this diagnosis. The other options are less likely given the clinical presentation and laboratory findings.

Please Read the Clinical Scenario, and Then Answer the Question