A nurse is assessing a toddler who is 8 hr postoperative following a cardiac catheterization procedure. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider?

A. Gonorrhea is a nationally notifiable sexually transmitted infection (STI). This means that healthcare providers are required to report cases of gonorrhea to public health authorities to track and monitor the spread of the disease.

B. Bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis are common STIs but are not nationally notifiable.

C. Genital herpes simplex virus is a common STI but is not nationally notifiable.

D. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common STI, but it is not nationally notifiable.
However, HPV vaccines are recommended to prevent certain strains of the virus that can cause cervical cancer.

A. Assisting the child into a supine position is contraindicated in acute epiglottitis. This can lead to airway obstruction. The child should be allowed to assume a position of comfort, which is typically sitting up and leaning forward.

B. While obtaining a throat culture may be indicated for diagnostic purposes, it is not the first priority in the care of a child with acute epiglottitis. The immediate concern is ensuring airway patency and providing appropriate respiratory support.

C. This is the correct action. Acute epiglottitis is a potentially life-threatening condition that can rapidly lead to airway obstruction. Initiating droplet isolation precautions helps protect healthcare providers and other patients from potential transmission of the causative organism (often Haemophilus influenzae type B).

D. Checking oxygen saturation every 4 hours is important for monitoring respiratory status, but in the case of acute epiglottitis, continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation is often necessary due to the risk of sudden airway obstruction. This action does not address the immediate priority of ensuring a patent airway.