Little Bodies, Big Emergencies
This fast-acting medication is commonly used as a rescue inhaler in acute asthma attacks.
Albuterol
Name two gross motor and two fine motor milestones you would expect by 18 months.
Gross motor: walking independently, climbing stairs with assistance
Fine motor: turning pages in a book, using a spoon to feed themselves
Calculate the safe dose range for pediatric acetaminophen: 10-15 mg/kg/dose every 4-6 hours. The patient weighs 18 kg. What is the minimum and maximum dose per administration?
180 mg to 270 mg per dose
A 3-year-old child is found unconscious and unresponsive in a backyard pool. What immediate action should be taken?
Initiate CPR and call 911 immediately
The Pediatric Emergency Triangle evaluates these three components of a child’s status.
Appearance, work of breathing, and circulation
True or False: Insulin is the first priority in treating a child in DKA.
False: Fluid resuscitation comes before insulin.
A hospitalized 6-year-old wants to help change their own dressing. According to Erickson, WHAT stage is this, and WHY is participation important?
Industry vs. Inferiority
Participation builds confidence and a sense of competence.
This is the recommended energy dose for the first shock in pediatric defibrillation during cardiac arrest.
2 joules per kilogram
4 joules per kilogram for subsequent shocks
On average, how many children die in hot cars each year?
38
In compensated shock, this vital sign typically remains within normal range due to the body’s attempt to preserve perfusion.
Blood pressure
Children with sickle cell disease should avoid these two common triggers to help prevent a crisis.
Dehydration and cold temperatures
A 4-year-old pretends a block is a phone while playing. This behavior is a hallmark of which Piaget stage?
Preoperational stage
Name a first-line medication used in the acute management of stable VTach in children.
Amiodarone
Arizona is ranked what in the nation for hot car deaths of children?
4th
What medication is used to reduce sickling, increase hemoglobin, and decrease sickle cell crises?
Hydroxyurea
Despite repeated albuterol and steroids, a child with asthma has worsening respiratory distress. The provider orders magnesium sulfate IV. This medication helps by doing what?
Smooth muscle relaxation = bronchodilation
An adolescent patient struggles with role confusion, frequently changing peer groups and interests. What nursing interventions can help support identity development?
Providing a non-judgmental environment, encouraging self expression, and facilitating goal settings
On an EKG strip, what does a prolonged QT interval indicate and why is it dangerous?
Delayed ventricular repolarization, which can lead to life threatening arrhythmias like Torsades de Pointes
This age group is at the highest risk for drowning in Arizona, especially during the summer months.
Children aged 1 to 5 years
What are the most common pathogens responsible for neonatal sepsis?
Group B Streptococcus, E. coli, Herpes simplex virus, and Listeria monocytogenes
A 10-year-old arrives in the ED with altered mental status, rapid breathing, dry mucous membranes, and blood glucose of 680. You begin IV fluids and labs are drawn. What two major complications must be closely monitored for during treatment?
Cerebral edema and hypokalemia
Name two developmental red flags a nurse should assess for at a 2-month well-child visit
No social smile, no tracking/following with eyes, not responding to loud sounds.
A child receives 15 mg/kg of IV ceftriaxone. The child weighs 44 pounds. The vial concentration is 100 mg/mL. How many mL will you administer?
3 mL
This Marana father was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse after his 2-year-old daughter died in a hot car
Christopher Scholtes
Name two key electrolyte imbalances commonly seen in a pediatric DKA patient.
Low potassium (hypokalemia) and low sodium (hyponatremia)