Chapter 41: Nursing Care of the Child With an Alteration in Perfusion/Cardiovascular Disorder

A nurse suspects a child is experiencing cardiac tamponade after heart surgery. What would be the priority nursing intervention?

Notify the doctor immediately. The nurse would notify the doctor immediately. Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency and should be addressed. The child can die if intervention is postponed. It would not be appropriate to perform any interventions until confirming that this is the actual diagnosis

An infant with tetralogy of Fallot becomes cyanotic. Which nursing intervention would be the first priority?

Place the infant in the knee-chest position. Placing the infant in the knee-chest position is the first priority when caring for an infant with tetralogy of Fallot. Starting IV fluids and preparing the child for surgery would not be necessary since it is known that the infant has a cyanotic birth defect. Raising the head of the bed would not be a priority since the infant needs to be placed in the knee-chest position.

An infant girl is prescribed digoxin. The nurse would teach her parents that the action of this drug is to:

Slow and strengthen her heartbeat. Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that slows and strengthens the heartbeat.

A school nurse finds a 10-year-old's blood pressure is over the 95th percentile. The nurse advises the parent to seek medical attention for the child. What outcome would the nurse expect?

The child will need the blood pressure checked two more times. The child will need the blood pressure checked two more times. It is routine to check the blood pressure on three separate occasions to get the most accurate analysis of the blood pressure. The child usually does not need surgery or need to go to the emergency room. This is not a normal result in a blood pressure finding.

When examining a child with congenital heart disease, an organ in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen can be palpated at 4 cm below the rib cage. What would most likely explain this assessment finding?

The liver size increases in right-sided heart failure. The liver increases in size due to right-sided heart failure. This is one of the cardinal signs of congestive heart failure. The spleen is in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen and would increase in size under certain circumstances, but this is asking for the upper right quadrant information. There are certain medications that can affect the liver, but this would not be the most likely reason for hepatomegaly

The nurse is teaching an inservice program to a group of nurses on the topic of children diagnosed with rheumatic fever. The nurses in the group make the following statements. Which statement is most accurate regarding the diagnosis of rheumatic fever?

"Children who have this diagnosis may have had strep throat." Rheumatic fever is precipitated by a streptococcal infection, such as strep throat, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, or pharyngitis, which may be undiagnosed or untreated. Rheumatic fever is a chronic disease of childhood, affecting the connective tissue of the heart, joints, lungs, and brain. There is no immunization to prevent rheumatic fever. The onset of rheumatic fever is often slow and subtle

The nurse is taking a health history of a toddler with a suspected congenital heart defect. Which response by the mother could indicate that the child is experiencing hypercyanotic spells?

"He likes to stop and squat wherever he walks." The walking toddler may squat periodically to relieve a hypercyanotic spell. This position serves to improve pulmonary blood flow by increasing systemic vascular resistance. Constant movement and quick walking are normal for a toddler. Activity level with a daily nap is typical of a toddler. Difficulty breathing would suggest a problem.

The parents of a 5-year-old child with a cardiovascular disorder tell the nurse they don't understand why their child isn't gaining weight, "We make sure our child has 3 very nutritious meals every day." How should the nurse respond?

"It's great you are providing nutritious meals, but smaller frequent meals will tire your child less and promote weight gain." Small, frequent feedings will reduce the amount of energy required to feed or eat and prevents overtiring the child. Questioning if the parents are making nutritious foods or foods the child likes does not address the issue of energy expenditure when eating 3 larger meals per day. Just stating that it is "hard to get your child to eat enough" also does not address the situation

A pregnant client tells her nurse that a friend of hers recently gave birth to an infant who was found to have congenital heart disease. She asks the nurse whether there is anything she can to reduce the risk of this type of condition occurring in her baby. What information should the nurse mention to this client?.

"Make sure you are fully immunized." The cause of congenital heart disease often cannot be documented, although it is associated with familial patterns of inheritance and possibly triggers such as rubella (German measles) and varicella (chickenpox) infection during pregnancy. Women need to enter pregnancy fully immunized to help prevent infection during pregnancy. Encouraging the child to eat a low-sodium diet and exercise as he grows up will help prevent acquired heart disease, not congenital heart disease

A child will be undergoing a Holter monitor test. Which statement by the mother indicates the need for further instruction?

"My child cannot have any thing to eat or drink after midnight the day of the test." Ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring (Holter) testing is an exam that spans approximately 24 hours. The test is done to review the activity of the heart. The individual is encouraged to follow their normal activities during the test. There is no need for the child to be NPO prior to or during the test.

The nurse is providing child and family education prior to discharge following a cardiac catheterization. The nurse is teaching about signs and symptoms of complications. Which statement by the mother indicates a need for further teaching?

"The feeling of the heart skipping a beat is common." Reports of heart "fluttering" or "skipping a beat" should be reported to the doctor as this can be a sign of a complication. This statement is appropriate because tub baths should be avoided for about 3 days. This statement is appropriate because strenuous activity is limited for about 3 days. Changes in skin color or difficulty breathing indicate potential complications that need to be reported.

A nurse is teaching the parents of a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever about prescribed drug therapy. Which statement would indicate to the nurse that additional teaching is needed?

"We can stop the penicillin when her symptoms disappear." For a child with rheumatic fever, drug therapy must be given for the full 10 to 14 days to ensure complete eradication of the infection. The drug must not be stopped when the signs and symptoms disappear. To prevent recurrent attacks, prophylactic antibiotic therapy is prescribed for at least 5 years or until the child is 18 years old. Additional prophylactic therapy should be instituted when dental or tonsillar surgery is planned

The nurse is caring for an infant with Down syndrome who has been diagnosed with atrioventricular canal defect. The parents ask the nurse, "Why do you not put oxygen on our baby more often when his lips and fingernails are blue?" What is the best response by the the nurse?

"While it seems that oxygen would help, it actually worsens this condition. Treating the cause of the disease will help." For children with congenital defects with increased pulmonary blood flow, oxygen supplementation is not helpful. Oxygen acts as a pulmonary vasodilator. If pulmonary dilation occurs, pulmonary blood flow is even greater, causing tachypnea, increasing lung fluid retention, and eventually causing a much greater problem with oxygenation; therefore, preventing the development of pulmonary disease via early surgical correction is essential. Although oxygen must be ordered by the physician and it isn't the best treatment, the nurse stating, "While it seems that oxygen would help, it actually makes the condition worse. Treating the cause of the disease will help" best answers the question while also showing empathy.

The nurse is assessing the blood pressure of an adolescent. In which range should the nurse expect the blood pressure measurement for a healthy 13-year-old boy?

100 to 120/70 to 80 mm Hg The normal adolescent's blood pressure averages 100 to 120/70 to 80 mm Hg. The average infant's blood pressure is about 80/55 mm Hg. The toddler or preschooler's blood pressure averages 90 to 110/55 to 75 mm Hg. The normal school-ager's blood pressure averages 100 to 120/60 to 75 mm Hg

The nurse is assessing the heart rate of a healthy 6-month-old. In which range should the nurse expect the infant's heart rate?

90 to 160 bpm The normal infant heart rate averages 90 to 160 beats per minute (bpm); the toddler's or preschooler's is 80 to 115, the school-age child's is 60 to 100 bpm.

Which nursing diagnosis would best apply to a child with rheumatic fever?

Activity intolerance related to inability of heart to sustain extra workload Children with rheumatic fever need to reduce activity to relieve stress during the course of the illness

A 5-year-old is being prepared for diagnostic cardiac catheterization, in which the catheter will be inserted in the right femoral vein. What intervention should the nurse take to prevent infection?

Avoid drawing a blood specimen from the right femoral vein before the procedure Because the vessel site chosen for catheterization must not be infected at the time of catheterization (or obscured by a hematoma), never draw blood specimens from the projected catheterization entry site before the procedure (generally a femoral vein). The other interventions listed are performed for reasons other than prevention of infection. Children scheduled for the procedure are usually kept NPO for 2 to 4 hours beforehand to reduce the danger of vomiting and aspiration during the procedure. Be certain to record pedal pulses for a baseline assessment. The site for catheter insertion is locally anesthetized with EMLA cream or intradermal lidocaine.

The nurse is reviewing the laboratory test results of several children who have come to the clinic for evaluation. Which child would the nurse identify as having the least risk for hyperlipidemia?

Child A with a total cholesterol of 150 mg/dL and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) of 80 mg/dL. Total cholesterol levels below 170 mg/dL and LDL levels less than 100 mg/dL are considered within the acceptable range. Total cholesterol levels between 170 and 199 mg/dL and LDL levels between 100 and 129 mg/dL are considered borderline. Total cholesterol levels between 170 and 199 mg/dL and LDL levels between 100 and 129 mg/dL are considered borderline. Total cholesterol levels greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL and LDL levels greater than or equal to 130 mg/dL are considered elevated and place this child at greatest risk

When a child is scheduled for a cardiac catheterization, an important health teaching point for parents is that the:

Child will return with a bulky pressure dressing over the catheter insertion area. Cardiac catheterization is typically performed with the child awake but using conscious sedation. A dressing will be placed on the catheter insertion site

After assessing a child, the nurse suspects coarctation of the aorta based on a finding of:

Femoral pulse weaker than brachial pulse. A femoral pulse that is weak or absent in comparison to the brachial pulse is associated with coarctation of the aorta. Bounding pulse is characteristic of patent ductus arteriosus or aortic regurgitation. A narrow or thread pulse is associated with heart failure or severe aortic stenosis. Hepatomegaly is a sign of right-sided heart failure.

A nurse is reviewing blood work for a child with a cyanotic heart defect. What result would most likely be seen in a client experiencing polycythemia?

Increased RBC Polycythemia can occur in clients with a cyanotic heart defect. The body tries to compensate for having low oxygen levels and produces more red blood cells (RBCs). This would cause an increased result on the lab tests. This problem does not affect the white blood cells (WBCs).

A 6-year-old girl is diagnosed with pulmonary stenosis. The mother asks the nurse what the likely treatment for this condition will involve. What should the nurse tell the mother?

Insertion of a catheter with an uninflated balloon tip into the affected valve, followed by inflation of the balloon to break up adhesions Balloon angioplasty by way of cardiac catheterization is the procedure of choice for pulmonary stenosis. With this procedure, a catheter with an uninflated balloon at its tip is inserted and passed through the heart into the stenosed valve. As the balloon is inflated, it breaks valve adhesions and relieves the stenosis. The other answers refer to interventions related to patent ductus arteriosus, not pulmonary stenosis.

An infant with poor feeding is suspected of having a congenital heart defect. The parents are asking why a chest x-ray is necessary in their infant. What is the best response from the nurse?

It will determine if the heart is enlarged. Chest x-rays are performed to see if the heart is enlarged. This will determine if the heart muscle is increasing in size. Disturbances in heart conduction are detected by an EKG. Visualizing where blood is being shunted is through the echocardiogram. The image used to clarify the structures of the heart is the MRI

A nurse is assessing the skin of a 12-year-old with suspected right ventricular heart failure. Where should the nurse expect to note edema in this child?

Lower extremities Edema of the lower extremities is characteristic of right ventricular heart failure in older children. In infants, peripheral edema occurs first in the face, then the presacral region, and the extremities

When caring for a child with Kawasaki disease, the nurse would know that:

Management includes administration of aspirin and IVIG. Kawasaki disease is managed with IVIG and aspirin to prevent cardiac complications. Joint pain is not necessarily a permanent problem associated with Kawasaki disease. Antibiotics and steroid creams are not used for this disorder.

A nurse is caring for a child with Kawasaki disease. Which assessment finding would the nurse expect to see?

Peeling hands and feet and fever One of the signs of Kawasaki disease is the peeling hands and feet. The other symptoms are not necessarily characteristic of Kawasaki disease.

The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child with a congenital heart defect. To best relieve a hypercyanotic spell, what action would be the priority?

Place the child in a knee-to-chest position. The priority nursing action is to place the infant or child in a knee-to-chest position. Once the child has been placed in this position, the nurse should provide supplemental oxygen or administer medication as ordered. A calm, comforting approach should be used but is not the priority action. Once a child is placed in the knee-to-chest position, supplemental oxygen would be provided as ordered. Once a child is placed in the knee-to-chest position, medications would be given as ordered.

A parent brings an infant in for poor feeding. Which assessment data would most likely indicate a coarctation of the aorta?

Pulses weaker in lower extremities compared to upper extremities An infant with coarctation of the aorta has decreased systemic circulation, causing this problem. The cyanosis would be associated with tetralogy of Fallot.

A child with heart disease is receiving digoxin and a diuretic. Which laboratory test result would be most important for the nurse to monitor?

Serum potassium level Children receiving diuretics should have serum potassium levels obtained because diuretics tend to deplete the body of potassium. This is even more important if the child is also receiving digoxin because low serum potassium levels potentiate or increase the effect of the drug. Serum sodium levels may be obtained in children with heart failure to ensure that an increased sodium level is not causing edema. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate identifies inflammation and is unrelated to the use of diuretics and digoxin. Oxygen saturation levels may be done to evaluate for hypoxemia, but these results would be unrelated to the use of digoxin and diuretics

The nurse is caring for an 8-month-old infant with a suspected congenital heart defect. The nurse examines the child and documents which expected finding?

Softening of the nail beds Softening of nail beds is the first sign of clubbing due to chronic hypoxia. Rounding of the fingernails is followed by shininess and thickness of nail ends.

A newborn has been diagnosed with a congenital heart disease. Which congenital heart disease is associated with cyanosis?

Tetralogy of Fallot Tetralogy of Fallot is associated with cyanosis. The defects include ventricular septal defect (VSD), right ventricular hypertrophy, right outflow obstruction, and overriding aorta. Coarctation of aorta, pulmonary stenosis, and aortic stenosis are acyanotic heart diseases and are not associated with cyanosis

A nurse is providing education to a family about cardiac catheterization. What information would be included in the education?

The catheter will be placed in the femoral artery. The femoral artery is the correct placement of the cardiac catheter. The child will need to lie still for several hours after the procedure. The procedure is usually postponed if the child has a fever.

A nurse is interviewing a mother who is about to deliver her baby. Which response would alert the nurse for a higher potential for a heart defect in the infant?

The mother states she has lupus. Having lupus while pregnant could contribute to a congenital heart defect. Acetaminophen and sleeping do not have an effect on a child developing a heart defect. The seizure medication can have an impact on the child having a heart defect, but not necessarily a history of seizures in the mother.

A parent asks if the reason her infant has a congenital heart defect is because of something she did while she was pregnant. What is the best response by the nurse?

There are several reasons a baby can have a heart defect, let's talk about those causes. Focus on the therapeutic communication in this situation, while still obtaining more information. This will help the nurse explore various options for the cause of the defect with the parent.

A nurse is caring for a child that just had open-heart surgery and the parents are asking why there are wires coming out of the chest of the infant. What is the best response by the nurse?

These wires are connected to the heart and will detect if your child's heart gets out of rhythm. The wires may be connected to a pacemaker. Connection to the temporary pacemaker is usually until the child is out of danger for arrhythmia.

A child with a congenital heart defect is getting an echocardiogram. How would the nurse describe this test to the parent?

This is a test that will check how blood is flowing through the heart. Echocardiograms can determine the size of the heart and how the heart is pumping blood. An echocardiogram does not check the electrical impulses or the size of the heart. This is a non-invasive test.

The nurse has administered oral penicillin as ordered for prophylaxis of endocarditis. The nurse instructs the parents to immediately report which reaction?

Wheezing The nurse must report any hypersensitivity reactions such as wheezing and pruritus, as these could be a sign of anaphylaxis. Stomach upset is common with oral antibiotics and is not something that needs to be reported immediately. Nausea with diarrhea is common with oral antibiotics and does not need to be reported immediately. Abdominal distress is common with oral antibiotics and does not need to be reported immediately.

The nurse is caring for a pediatric client diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot. After speaking with the physician, the parents state to the nurse, "The doctor said something about our child having too many red blood cells. We don't understand how that could happen?" What is the best response by the nurse?

Your child's body is trying to compensate for the low blood oxygen levels from the heart defect by making more red blood cells, but this makes the heart actually work harder." To compensate for low blood oxygen levels, the kidneys produce the hormone erythropoietin to stimulate the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells (RBCs). This increase in RBCs is called polycythemia. Polycythemia can lead to an increase in blood volume and possibly blood viscosity, further taxing the workload of the heart. The correct response is the clearest and easiest description for the parents to understand. Telling the parents the doctor was discussing polycythemia with them doesn't answer their question.

The nurse is caring for a child with heart failure related to a congenital heart defect. One of the nursing diagnoses identified includes "Excess fluid volume." During a family care planning conference. the parents ask why this diagnosis applies to their child. What is the best response by the nurse?

• "Cardiac problems cause the heart to not pump effectively, which causes swelling in the body and fluid in the lungs." This response best explains the meaning of the nursing diagnosis and it's cause. Although there are standardized care plans as a guide, each care plan must be individualized to the client. Stating, "The heart is a pump and it isn't pumping effectively" does not explain the nursing diagnosis. Telling the parents not to worry does not help in educating them.

The nurse is reviewing nutritional recommendations with the parents of a teen diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. Which statements indicate an understanding of the recommended diet for this condition?

• "I should plan to have vegetables with each evening meal served." • "Adding fresh fruits to my child's lunch is a good idea." • "My child loves chicken and I can still serve it but I need to remove the skin." Hyperlipidemia refers to high levels of lipids (fats/cholesterol) in the blood. High lipid levels are a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, which can result in coronary artery disease, a serious cardiovascular disorder occurring in adults. Dietary management is the first step in the prevention and management of hyperlipidemia in children older than 2 years of age. The diet should consist primarily of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, beans, lean meat, poultry, and fish. As in adults, fat should account for no more than 30% of daily caloric intake. Fat intake may vary over a period of days, as many young children are picky eaters. Limit saturated fats by choosing lean meats, removing skin from poultry before cooking, and avoiding palm, palm kernel, and coconut oils as well as hydrogenated fats

The nurse is caring for a 7-year-old who is being discharged following surgery with a Gore® Helex device to repair an atrial septal defect. The parents of the child demonstrate understanding of the procedure with which statements?

• "We know how important our child's medications are so we will write out a schedule to be sure medications are taken as prescribed." • "We will be sure to monitor our child for any signs of infection and notify the doctor if we notice any." • "We will be sure to not allow our child to ride a bicycle for at least 2 weeks." With the Gore® Helex device, strenuous activity should be avoided for 2 weeks after the procedure, so neither soccer or bicycle riding would be allowed. Children should be monitored for the possible presence of atrial arrhythmias (lifelong) after surgical closure for the defect. Infection is a complication that must be monitored for and reported to the physician, and medications must be given as prescribe

The pediatric nurse has digoxin ordered for each of five children. The nurse should withhold digoxin for which children?

• 5-year-old child who developed vomiting and diarrhea, and is difficult to arouse • 16-year-old child with a heart rate of 54 beats per minute • 2-year-old child whose digoxin level was 2.4 ng/mL from a blood draw this morning The nurse should not administer digoxin to children with the following issues: The adolescent with an apical pulse under 60 beats per minute, the child with a digoxin level above 2 ng/mL, and the child who exhibiting signs of digoxin toxicity.

The nurse is caring for a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever. The nurse would do all of the following nursing interventions. Which two interventions would be the priority for the nurse?

• Carefully handle the child's knees, ankles, elbows and wrists when moving the child. • Administer salicylates after meals or with milk Pain control and relief are the highest priorities for the child with rheumatic fever. Position the child to relieve joint pain. Large joints, including the knees, ankles, wrists, and elbows, are usually involved. Carefully handle the joints when moving the child to help minimize pain. Salicylates are administered in the form of aspirin to reduce fever and relieve joint inflammation and pain