A nurse is caring for a 2-month-old infant. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider?

Rationale for Correct Choices:

• Lead poisoning: The child's exposure to construction dust in a home built in the 1950s, coupled with symptoms like lethargy, irritability, weakness, and abdominal discomfort, suggests lead poisoning. Lead exposure in older homes with construction dust is a significant risk factor.
• Reinforce education on lead exposure and prevention: Given the suspected lead exposure, educating the parents about how to reduce the child’s exposure to lead is crucial. This includes steps like avoiding dust, cleaning thoroughly, and taking preventive measures to protect the child.
• Prepare to assist with chelation therapy: If lead poisoning is confirmed, chelation therapy is the mainstay treatment to help remove lead from the body. Chelation agents bind to lead in the body, facilitating its excretion.
• Blood lead levels: Monitoring blood lead levels is essential for confirming lead poisoning and determining the severity of the exposure. Elevated blood lead levels would guide the need for chelation therapy.
• Developmental milestones: Lead poisoning can adversely affect cognitive, motor, and developmental growth in children. Monitoring developmental milestones is critical to assess if lead exposure is impacting the child’s growth and development.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices:

• Meningitis: Although the child has had exposure to meningitis, the clinical presentation does not align with typical meningitis, which often presents with more acute symptoms like fever, nuchal rigidity, and altered consciousness.
• Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Guillain-Barré syndrome is unlikely as it typically presents with ascending paralysis. The child’s symptoms, such as irritability and weakness, are more consistent with lead poisoning, especially with the known risk factors of lead exposure.
• Diabetes mellitus type 1: While the child shows increased thirst and urination, the overall presentation of irritability, abdominal discomfort, and weakness, along with the known risk of lead exposure, makes lead poisoning a more likely diagnosis.
• Assist with lumbar puncture: A lumbar puncture is typically performed to diagnose meningitis or other central nervous system infections. The child’s symptoms do not suggest meningitis, and this action is not warranted at this time.
• Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c): Monitoring HbA1c is useful for diagnosing diabetes, but it is not appropriate for assessing lead poisoning. Blood glucose levels would be more relevant to diagnose diabetes type 1, but in this case, lead poisoning is the primary concern.
• Assist with administration of intravenous immunoglobulin: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is generally used to treat autoimmune disorders or infections, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome. It is not appropriate for lead poisoning, which requires chelation therapy.
• Nuchal rigidity: There is no indication of neck stiffness or signs of meningitis. Nuchal rigidity would be relevant in the case of suspected meningitis, but this is not the primary diagnosis here. The child’s symptoms align more with lead poisoning.
• Electromyography results: Electromyography is typically used to assess nerve function in conditions like Guillain-Barré syndrome, but it’s not necessary for diagnosing or managing lead poisoning.
• Obtain a serum blood glucose: While obtaining a blood glucose is important to rule out diabetes type 1, the child’s symptoms, coupled with the lead exposure risk, are more aligned with lead poisoning.

A. Temperature: A temperature of 38.6°C (101.5°F) is elevated, but fever is a common symptom of bacterial pneumonia. It is important to monitor, but it is not the most critical finding in this case.
B. Skin condition: Hives and flushing could be signs of an allergic reaction to medication, but this is not immediately life-threatening. The nurse should report it, but the priority in this case is the oxygen saturation, which reflects the patient's respiratory status.
C. Oxygen saturation: Oxygen saturation of 93% is below the typical threshold of 95-100% and indicates mild hypoxemia. In a patient with bacterial pneumonia, low oxygen saturation signify worsening respiratory function. This requires immediate attention and reporting.
D. Lung sounds: Coarse crackles in the right lower lobe are expected in pneumonia due to lung consolidation. While it is important to monitor lung sounds, the priority is addressing the oxygen saturation level, which is directly related to the patient's ability to breathe effectively.