An 18-month-old child is brought to the emergency room with difficulty breathing.The physician diagnoses the child with epiglottitis.Which of the following findings by the nurse are consistent with this diagnosis?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Epiglottitis is a medical emergency characterized by inflammation of the epiglottis, leading to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, high fever, and stridor (a high-pitched sound heard with breathing). An oxygen saturation level of 85% on room air indicates significant respiratory compromise, consistent with severe epiglottitis. Stridor audible without a stethoscope suggests airway obstruction, which is a hallmark of epiglottitis. A high temperature of 103.7 degrees Fahrenheit is indicative of the infection that causes epiglottitis. A respiratory rate of 22 per minute is within normal limits for an 18-month-old, and an apical heart rate of 72 beats per minute is lower than expected for this age, making B and D inconsistent with epiglottitis.

An 18-Month-Old Child Is Brought to the Emergency Room with Difficulty