Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
Jennifer is a 13-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, who came to your children’s hospital for a posterior spinal fusion, where her spine was straightened with rods that were surgically implanted. She tolerated the procedure well, but now 24 hours after the lengthy operation, her blood pressure is 70/25, with a heart rate of 150, fever of 104 degrees, and breathing deeply and rapidly. Whereas several hours ago her vital signs were stable and she was talking to you, she now seems to show no interest in interacting with anybody. Of note, her incision site down her back is swollen, red, and oozing a cloudy white substance. You call the attending physician, who rushes to the bedside.
-The doctors decide that Jennifer is septic,and administer several boluses of normal saline while having you place her on vasoactive drugs to increase her blood pressure.What are the important next steps?

Question

Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
 Jennifer is a 13-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, who came to your children’s hospital for a posterior spinal fusion, where her spine was straightened with rods that were surgically implanted. She tolerated the procedure well, but now 24 hours after the lengthy operation, her blood pressure is 70/25, with a heart rate of 150, fever of 104 degrees, and breathing deeply and rapidly. Whereas several hours ago her vital signs were stable and she was talking to you, she now seems to show no interest in interacting with anybody. Of note, her incision site down her back is swollen, red, and oozing a cloudy white substance. You call the attending physician, who rushes to the bedside. 
-The doctors decide that Jennifer is septic,and administer several boluses of normal saline while having you place her on vasoactive drugs to increase her blood pressure.What are the important next steps?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jennifer is showing signs of sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition caused by an infection in the body. The symptoms of sepsis include a high fever, low blood pressure, fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, and organ dysfunction. Therefore, the important next steps would be to provide respiratory support, obtain blood cultures to identify the causative organism, and administer broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat the infection. Wound drainage may also be necessary if the incision site is infected, but it is not the priority at this time. Antiseizure medications and antifever therapy are not warranted in this situation.

Please Read the Clinical Scenario, and Then Answer the Question