Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
A 3-year-old patient is admitted to the ER after a sudden onset of high fever and chills, a productive cough, and shortness of breath. The parents indicate that the child had been healthy up until a few hours ago. An initial workup of the child shows an elevated temperature (103oF), a rapid pulse rate (140 bpm), and a low oxygen saturation level (82%). Supplemental oxygen and acetaminophen are administered immediately, and specimens are obtained from the patient for microbial analysis.
-The specimens are Gram-stained and analyzed microscopically.The laboratory technician observes spherical purple-colored cells arranged in short chains.Based upon this evidence,which of the following microbes is most likely the pathogen affecting the patient?

Question

Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
  A 3-year-old patient is admitted to the ER after a sudden onset of high fever and chills, a productive cough, and shortness of breath. The parents indicate that the child had been healthy up until a few hours ago. An initial workup of the child shows an elevated temperature (103oF), a rapid pulse rate (140 bpm), and a low oxygen saturation level (82%). Supplemental oxygen and acetaminophen are administered immediately, and specimens are obtained from the patient for microbial analysis.
-The specimens are Gram-stained and analyzed microscopically.The laboratory technician observes spherical purple-colored cells arranged in short chains.Based upon this evidence,which of the following microbes is most likely the pathogen affecting the patient?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Gram stain shows spherical purple-colored cells arranged in short chains, which is indicative of Streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of pneumonia in children. Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming bacteria that causes food poisoning, Vibrio cholerae causes cholera, and Staphylococcus aureus can cause a range of infections such as skin infections, food poisoning, and pneumonia, but it typically appears as grape-like clusters on a Gram stain, not short chains.

Please Read the Clinical Scenario, and Then Answer the Question