1 :

School-age child admitted, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 3 months of age, has experienced failure to thrive, and has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The child presents with wheezing, rhonchi, paroxysmal cough, and dyspnea. The parent reports large, frothy foul- smelling stools. The child has deficient levels of vitamin A, D, E, and K.

• Barrel-shaped chest

• Clubbing of the fingers bilaterally

• Respiratory rate 40/min with wheezing and rhonchi noted bilaterally, dyspnea, and paroxysmal cough

• Temperature 3840 C (101 T F)

• Heart rate 1001min

• Respiratory rate 40/min

• Blood pressure 100/57 mm Hg

Sputum culture positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Stool analysis positive for presence of fat and enzymes

• Chest x-ray indicates obstructive emphysema

• WBC count 20,000/mm3 (5,000 to IO, OOO/mm3)


A nurse is reviewing the child's medical record. Which of the following medications should the nurse expect the provider to prescribe or reconcile from the child's home medication list? Select all that apply


Answer Options

Hint : 💨 Mucus-clearing (dornase alfa), vitamin absorption (water-soluble ADEK), and fever control (acetaminophen) = CF essentials

Correct Answers:

  • Water-soluble vitamin
  • Acetaminophen
  • Dornase alfa


Rationale :

✅ A. Water-soluble vitamin

💊 Children with cystic fibrosis have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, leading to malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

💊 As fat absorption is impaired, providers prescribe water-miscible or water-soluble forms of these vitamins to enhance absorption and avoid deficiencies.

💊 Deficiencies in these vitamins can result in vision problems (A), bone demineralization (D), neurologic symptoms (E), and coagulopathy (K).

💊 The child’s clinical profile (e.g., steatorrhea, failure to thrive, vitamin deficiencies) confirms the need for routine vitamin supplementation in a more absorbable form.

💊 This is a standard long-term management strategy in CF to support nutrition and growth.

✅ B. Acetaminophen

🌡️ The child has a temperature of 38.4°C (101.1°F), indicating fever, likely due to an acute respiratory infection, supported by WBC elevation and positive Pseudomonas culture.

🌡️ Acetaminophen is appropriate for managing fever and mild discomfort in children and is commonly used in CF exacerbations.

🌡️ It is well tolerated and avoids complications related to NSAIDs (e.g., GI upset, renal stress), especially in those with chronic conditions.

🌡️ While not curative, acetaminophen improves comfort and reduces metabolic demand during acute illness.

🌡️ It also supports better rest and pulmonary function by reducing the discomfort associated with fever.

✅ C. Dornase alfa

🫁 Dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) is a recombinant human DNase that breaks down thick, sticky DNA-based secretions in the lungs of children with CF.

🫁 It reduces mucus viscosity, improving airway clearance, oxygenation, and reducing the frequency of infections.

🫁 The child has signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with dyspnea, wheezing, rhonchi, and productive cough, indicating a need for airway clearance support.

🫁 Dornase alfa is administered via nebulization, making it suitable for daily use at home or in acute care.

🫁 It is a standard pulmonary maintenance therapy for CF to minimize airway plugging and prevent exacerbations.


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2 :

A 15-year old adolescent is admitted for a crisis. The parent reports that the adolescent has a fever and has vomited for 3 days. The adolescent reports having right- sided and low back pain. They also report hands and right knee are painful and swollen. The client reports pain as 8 on a scale of 0 to 10.

Temperature 3780 C (1000 F)

Heart rate 100/min

Blood pressure 110/72 mm Hg

Respiratory rate 20/min

Oxygen saturation 95% on room air

• Awake, alert, and oriented x 3

• Yellow sclera of eyes noted bilaterally

• Right upper quadrant tender to palpation

• Hands painful to touch and swollen bilaterally

Right knee is swollen, warm to palpation, and the client reports

pain as 8 on a scale of0 to 10.

• Client is tearful and grimacing during the examination.


The nurse is planning care for the adolescent. Select the 4interventions the nurse should include.


Answer Options

Hint : 💉 SCD crisis = vaccinate, folate, monitor O₂, continue hydroxyurea, avoid cold & meperidine.

Correct Answers:

  • Instruct the parent to ensure the pneumococcal vaccine is current.
  • Administer folic acid as prescribed.
  • Monitor oxygen saturation continuously_
  • Give oral hydroxyurea.


Rationale :

✅ A. Instruct the parent to ensure the pneumococcal vaccine is current

💉 Adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at higher risk for invasive pneumococcal infections due to functional asplenia.

💉 Ensuring the pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13 and PPSV23) is current is a key preventive strategy to avoid sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia.

💉 The nurse should confirm immunization history and educate the parent on the importance of timely vaccinations as part of long-term disease management.

💉 This aligns with CDC and WHO guidelines for preventive care in children with SCD.

✅ B. Administer folic acid as prescribed

🩺 Folic acid supports the production of new red blood cells, which is crucial in sickle cell patients who experience chronic hemolysis.

🩺 Supplementation helps prevent megaloblastic anemia and supports marrow function during crises.

🩺 It's often a routine part of outpatient and inpatient therapy for patients with SCD.

🩺 The goal is to sustain hemoglobin levels and avoid complications due to ineffective erythropoiesis.

✅ C. Monitor oxygen saturation continuously

🌬️ During a vaso-occlusive crisis, sickled red blood cells can obstruct capillaries, impairing oxygen delivery to tissues.

🌬️ Continuous pulse oximetry helps detect early signs of hypoxia, even before symptoms worsen.

🌬️ Maintaining oxygenation above 95% is vital to prevent worsening of sickling and organ ischemia.

🌬️ Early detection allows for timely intervention, including oxygen therapy or escalation of care.

✅ H. Give oral hydroxyurea

💊 Hydroxyurea increases the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which reduces the polymerization of sickled hemoglobin (HbS).

💊 It helps prevent vaso-occlusive episodes, acute chest syndrome, and the need for frequent transfusions.

💊 While primarily used as preventive outpatient therapy, if the client takes it at home, it should be continued unless contraindicated.

💊 It has been shown to reduce hospitalization rates and pain crises in SCD patients.


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3 :

Hint : 🧪 DIC = clot + bleed = low platelets

Correct Answers:

  • Decreased platelet count


Rationale :

🩸 Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a serious condition involving widespread activation of clotting, followed by consumption of clotting factors and platelets, leading to bleeding.

🩸 Lab findings typically include decreased platelets, prolonged PT/PTT, elevated D-dimer, and reduced fibrinogen.

🩸 Because platelets are consumed in excessive microthrombi formation, patients experience thrombocytopenia.

🩸 Hgb and RBC levels are usually low due to blood loss, not elevated.


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4 :

Hint : 🩺 Bradycardia in toddlers = urgent

Correct Answers:

  • An 18-month-old toddler who has a heart rate of 68/min


Rationale :

❤️ Normal resting heart rate for an 18-month-old is approximately 80–130 bpm.

❤️ A heart rate of 68 bpm is bradycardic and may indicate hypoxia, increased intracranial pressure, or other serious pathology in toddlers.

❤️ This finding is outside normal limits and should be reported immediately.

❤️ The other values (temperature, BP, RR) are within expected ranges for their respective age groups.


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5 :

Hint : 🚫 Choking risks = watch buttons and toys

Correct Answers:

  • Check clothing for loose buttons.


Rationale :

🧷 Toddlers are at high risk of choking, and small items like loose buttons on clothing can easily become foreign body hazards if swallowed.

🧷 Injury prevention for this age group should focus on choking, poisoning, burns, and falls.

🧷 Water heaters should be set no higher than 49°C (120.2°F) to prevent scald burns.

🧷 Balloons are choking hazards, and window screens are not substitutes for window locks or guards.


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6 :

Hint : 🔄 Swallowing a lot = bleeding alert

Correct Answers:

  • "Notify the provider if your child is swallowing frequently."


Rationale :

🩺 Frequent swallowing after a tonsillectomy can indicate active bleeding, even if blood is not visible in the mouth.

🩺 This is a medical emergency, as postoperative hemorrhage is the most serious complication.

🩺 Parents must be instructed to report this immediately.

🩺 Dark blood is common early post-op but frequent swallowing suggests active fresh bleeding.


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7 :

Hint : 🤱 Calm child = better ECG tracing

Correct Answers:

  • "Your child can rest on your lap during the procedure."


Rationale :

💗 An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a noninvasive, painless test to assess heart rhythm and electrical activity.

💗 In toddlers or young children, allowing the child to rest on the caregiver’s lap provides comfort and minimizes movement artifacts during lead placement.

💗 The test is quick and requires cooperation, so emotional reassurance is key.

💗 It does not involve alarms, back leads, or extended durations.


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8 :

Hint : 📉 pH check = safe tube placement

Correct Answers:

  • Check the pH of the gastric secretions.


Rationale :

🧪 Before administering enteral feedings through a nasogastric tube, it is critical to verify tube placement to prevent aspiration or misplacement into the lungs.

🧪 The first priority is checking the pH of gastric secretions—a pH of <5 indicates correct gastric placement.

🧪 Other steps (flushing, connecting, setting rate) should only follow after verifying safe placement.

🧪 This is an essential nursing safety step to prevent serious complications.


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9 :

Hint : 👶 One-piece = pacifier safety

Correct Answers:

  • Provide an infant with a one-piece pacifier for non-nutritive sucking-


Rationale :

🍼 A one-piece pacifier minimizes the risk of airway obstruction or choking, compared to multi-piece designs that may come apart.

🍼 Infants benefit from non-nutritive sucking for comfort and self-soothing.

🍼 Placing a 1-month-old on a soft mattress is unsafe—infants should be placed supine on a firm surface for sleep.

🍼 Car seats must never be placed behind airbags—doing so increases the risk of fatal injury in collisions.


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10 :

Hint : 🛑 Epiglottitis = airway first, not imaging

Correct Answers:

  • Place intubation equipment at the bedside.


Rationale :

🫁 Epiglottitis is a life-threatening respiratory emergency in young children, often caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib).

🫁 It presents with drooling, muffled voice, fever, and difficulty breathing.

🫁 The first action is to ensure airway preparedness, as swelling can rapidly cause complete obstruction.

🫁 Never force a child with suspected epiglottitis to lie down or have their throat examined—intubation equipment must be ready immediately.


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Total Questions: 10

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