The nurse has received report on four children. Which child ...

[Capo]

The nurse has received report on four children. Which child should the nurse assess first?
 
  a. A school-age child in a coma with stable vital signs
  b. A preschool child with a head injury and decreasing level of consciousness
  c. An adolescent admitted after a motor vehicle accident is oriented to person and place
  d. A toddler in a persistent vegetative state with a low-grade fever

Question 2

The nurse is performing a Glasgow Coma Scale on a school-age child with a head injury. The child opens eyes spontaneously, obeys commands, and is oriented to person, time, and place. Which is the score the nurse should record?
 
  a. 8
  b. 11
  c. 13
  d. 15

[dantucker]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The nurse should assess the child with a head injury and decreasing level of consciousness first (LOC). Assessment of LOC remains the earliest indicator of improvement or deterioration in neurologic status. The next child the nurse should assess is a toddler in a persistent vegetative state with a low-grade fever. The school-age child in a coma with stable vital signs and the adolescent admitted to the hospital who is oriented to his surroundings would be of least worry to the nurse.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) consists of a three-part assessment: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. Numeric values of 1 through 5 are assigned to the levels of response in each category. The sum of these numeric values provides an objective measure of the patient's level of consciousness (LOC). A person with an unaltered LOC would score the highest, 15. The child who opens eyes spontaneously, obeys commands, and is oriented is scored at a 15.

[Capo]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[kthug]

TYSM