The nurse is planning care for a child who has had a near drowning at a local swimming pool. It would be a priority for the nurse to have which item at the bedside?
The nurse is planning care for a child who has had a near drowning at a local swimming pool. It would be a priority for the nurse to have which item at the bedside?
A. Warm isotonic fluids
[7%]
B. Advanced airway
[84%]
C. Rectal thermometer
[1%]
D. Defibrillator
[8%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Child Health
Lesson
Respiratory
Client Need
Test Plan
Physiological Adaptation
Related Topic
Medical Emergencies
Item Type
Item Type
Analysis
Explanation
Choice B is correct. Drowning may cause a catastrophic pulmonary injury, and maintaining the client's airway to deliver warm, humidified oxygen is essential. While thermoregulation needs to be attained (drowning results in a decrease in body temperature), the essential item to have is airway equipment. Restoring a client's airway will prevent a serious complication of an anoxic brain injury.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Warm isotonic fluids are used in drowning to assist in stabilizing the client's temperature, and a rectal temperature is the most accurate way to obtain the core body temperature. However, these items, including the defibrillator, are not the priority compared to the client's airway patency.
Related Videos
2 Key Topics
Respiratory Support
17.3 Respiratory Support
Additional Info
Drowning poses a significant threat to young children and adults who cannot swim. The priority concern associated with drowning is the pulmonary insult caused by the loss of surfactant that impairs gas exchange. An essential treatment for drowning is early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Additional therapies include warming measures to stabilize the client's temperature and prescribed antibiotics to prevent aspirational pneumonia.
