A 5-month-old infant is in respiratory distress. What should the ...

[lidoalex]

A 5-month-old infant is in respiratory distress. What should the nurse expect to find?
 
  a. Nasal flaring
  b. Bradycardia
  c. Abdominal breathing
  d. Capillary refill of 2 seconds

Question 2

A child is in uncompensated respiratory acidosis. What should the nurse expect the arterial blood gas to be?
 
  a. O2, 95; CO2, 45; pH, 7.40
  b. O2, 88; CO2, 55; pH, 7.30
  c. O2, 88; CO2, 35; pH, 7.28
  d. O2, 92; CO2, 54; pH, 7.35

[atrochim]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Nasal flaring is a sign of respiratory distress and a significant finding in an infant. The enlargement of the nostrils helps reduce nasal resistance and maintains airway patency. Nasal flaring may be intermittent or continuous and should be described as minimum or marked. The infant would have tachycardia, not bradycardia, in respiratory distress. Abdominal breathing and a capillary refill are normal findings in an infant.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Respiratory acidosis results from diminished or inadequate pulmonary ventilation that causes an elevation in plasma Pco2 and thus an increased concentration of dissolved carbonic acid, which leads to elevated carbonic acid and hydrogen ion concentration. This tends to lower the pH. CO2 of 55 is elevated (normal CO2 is 3545), and a pH of 7.30 is low (normal pH is 7.357.45).