Immune System Function
A type of immunity that develops after exposure to a pathogen, resulting in the production of antibodies and memory cells.
What is active immunity?
Enlarged and tender lymph nodes are a common finding during a nursing assessment.
What are the signs of infection or inflammation?
The general class of medications used to reduce immune system activity in patients with autoimmune disorders.
What are immunosuppressants?
The single most effective way to prevent the transmission of infection, a critical nursing intervention for immunocompromised patients.
What is practicing good hand hygiene?
A chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by a butterfly-shaped rash across the face, joint pain, and photosensitivity.
What is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)?
The inability of the immune system to differentiate between "self" and "non-self" results in the body's own tissues being attacked.
What is autoimmunity?
Past surgical removal of this organ would alert the nurse to possible immune system dysfunction.
What is a splenectomy?
The standard medication therapy for HIV patients, aimed at suppressing viral replication.
What is antiretroviral therapy (ART)?
The nursing intervention for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who reports chronic pain and inflammation in their joints.
What is administering anti-inflammatory medication, providing warm compresses, and encouraging rest periods?
A chronic progressive inflammatory disease primarily of the spine and sacroiliac area.
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
Helper T cells support cellular immunity by secreting this chemical, which attracts neutrophils and macrophages.
What is interleukin?
Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
What are the signs of inflammation?
A therapy often used for severe immunodeficiencies and certain autoimmune disorders to restore normal immune function.
What is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?
A primary nursing diagnosis for a patient receiving immunosuppressant medication.
What is Risk for Infection?
A hereditary congenital disorder or acquired after childhood from unknown causes, characterized by the absence or deficiency of one or more of the five classes of immunoglobulins from defective B-cell function.
What is hypogammaglobulinemia?
The specific type of immunoglobulin responsible for mediating the immediate hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction.
What is IgE?
A patient reports severe shortness of breath, wheezing, and lip swelling minutes after taking a new medication.
What are the signs of an immediate hypersensitivity reaction (Type I)
A treatment for allergies that involves repeated injections of increasing doses of an allergen.
What are immunotherapy or allergy shots?
The priority nursing action when an LPN observes signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips and wheezing, after a patient receives a new medication.
What is administering epinephrine and corticosteroids?
Occurring more often in females than in males, this autoimmune disorder causes the thyroid gland to enlarge as a result of overstimulation.
What is Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
As we age, mortality does this as our thymus gland does this.
What is increase and decrease?
The type of cell that is deficient in a patient with an HIV diagnosis.
What are CD4+ T-cells?
A therapy for patients with severe immunodeficiency, involving the periodic administration of antibodies to boost the immune response.
What is immunoglobulin replacement therapy?
This type of care is especially important for patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapies and includes monitoring labs, ensuring proper nutrition, and providing emotional support.
What is supportive care?
In this autoimmune disorder, the body produces auto-antibodies, and they attach to RBCs, causing the RBCs to lyse or agglutinate. This leads to tissue ischemia.
What is idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia?