A nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child who has acute rheumatic fever. Which of the following assessments is the nurse's priority immediately after admission?

Choice A: Using a pain-rating tool to determine the severity of the joint pain is not the priority assessment for an 8-year-old child who has acute rheumatic fever, which is an inflammatory condition that can affect various organs, especially the heart, joints, skin, and brain. Joint pain is one of the major criteria for diagnosing acute rheumatic fever and can affect one or more large joints, such as knees, ankles, elbows, or wrists. Joint pain can be managed with analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Choice B: Assessing the client's erythematous rash is not the priority assessment for an 8-year-old child who has acute rheumatic fever, which is an inflammatory condition that can affect various organs, especially the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The erythematous rash is one of the minor criteria for diagnosing acute rheumatic fever and can appear as pink or red patches on the trunk or limbs. The erythematous rash can fade or change location over time and does not require any specific treatment.

Choice C: Identifying the degree of parental anxiety related to the diagnosis is not the priority assessment for an 8-year-old child who has acute rheumatic fever, which is an inflammatory condition that can affect various organs, especially the heart, joints, skin, and brain. Parental anxiety related to the diagnosis can affect their coping skills and ability to care for their child. Parental anxiety can be addressed by providing education, support, and referral to appropriate resources.

Choice D: Auscultating the rate and regularity of the child's heart sounds and notifying the provider immediately of abnormalities is the priority assessment for an 8-year-old child who has acute rheumatic fever, as it can indicate cardiac involvement, which is the most serious complication of acute rheumatic fever. Cardiac involvement can cause damage to the heart valves, myocardium, or pericardium and lead to heart failure or death. Abnormalities in heart sounds may include murmurs, rubs, gallops, or arrhythmias.

Choice A: A WBC count of 17,000/mm³ is an abnormal result that the nurse should anticipate when reviewing this client's laboratory values, as it indicates leukocytosis, which is an increase in white blood cells. Leukocytosis can occur in a child who has cystic fibrosis (CF), which is a condition that causes thick mucus to block the airways and lungs and causes respiratory infections and inflammation. A normal WBC count for children is 5,000 to 10,000/mm³.

Choice B: A neutrophil count of 3,000/mm³ is not an abnormal result that the nurse should anticipate when reviewing this client's laboratory values, as it indicates normal neutrophil levels. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fight bacterial infections. A normal neutrophil count for children is 1,500 to 8,000/mm³.

Choice C: A lymphocyte count of 3,000/mm³ is not an abnormal result that the nurse should anticipate when reviewing this client's laboratory values, as it indicates normal lymphocyte levels. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fight viral infections. A normal lymphocyte count for children is 1,500 to 4,000/mm³.

Choice D: An RBC count of 4.2 million/mm³ is not an abnormal result that the nurse should anticipate when reviewing this client's laboratory values, as it indicates normal red blood cell levels. Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. A normal RBC count for children is 4 to 5.5 million/mm³.