A school-age child is brought to the emergency department due to nausea, vomiting, and severe right lower quadrant pain. The child's white blood cell count is 17,000/mm (17.0 x 109/L). Which statement by the child is of most concern to the nurse?
A child with acute-onset right lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and a high white blood cell count likely has acute appendicitis. Appendicitis is a serious condition that usually requires emergency surgery due to the risk of appendix rupture. The pain results from swelling and inflammation of the appendix. However, once the appendix ruptures, pain is relieved only temporarily and will return with full-blown peritonitis and sepsis.
(Option 1) Clients diagnosed with appendicitis often need immediate surgery. The client will be placed NPO until surgery is performed to remove the appendix.
(Option 2) This is a normal statement that will be made by many children.
(Option 3) Tiredness is nonspecific and could be due to many reasons (eg, pain medication).
Educational objective:
Appendicitis is an acute condition that needs immediate surgical intervention to prevent appendix rupture and subsequent peritonitis and sepsis.
A child with acute-onset right lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and a high white blood cell count likely has acute appendicitis. Appendicitis is a serious condition that usually requires emergency surgery due to the risk of appendix rupture. The pain results from swelling and inflammation of the appendix. However, once the appendix ruptures, pain is relieved only temporarily and will return with full-blown peritonitis and sepsis.
(Option 1) Clients diagnosed with appendicitis often need immediate surgery. The client will be placed NPO until surgery is performed to remove the appendix.
(Option 2) This is a normal statement that will be made by many children.
(Option 3) Tiredness is nonspecific and could be due to many reasons (eg, pain medication).
Educational objective:
Appendicitis is an acute condition that needs immediate surgical intervention to prevent appendix rupture and subsequent peritonitis and sepsis.
