Question

required information
nclex: clinical application (meningitis)
nclex: clinical application
read the clinical scenario, and then answer the questions that follow.
a 5 - year - old female is admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with suspected meningitis. a lumbar puncture is performed by the physician and blood tests are sent to the laboratory as ordered. treatment is initiated by the medical team as final test results are pending.
concept check

1. the rn assists in collection of the patients history from the parents. all of the following reported symptoms are classic of viral meningitis, except

decreased stimulation response
headache
low blood pressure
neck stiffness

1. laboratory results confirm the diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis. which of the following lab test results would the rn expect on the complete blood count and differential for this patient?

abnormally low wbc count
abnormally elevated neutrophils in differential wbc
abnormally low percentage of lymphocytes in differential wbc
abnormally elevated lymphocytes in differential wbc

1. which of the following statements by the patients parents indicates a proper understanding of the treatment plan and prognosis of viral meningitis?

Explanation:

1. For the first question, decreased stimulation response, headache, and neck stiffness are common in viral meningitis, while low blood pressure is not a typical classic symptom.
2. In enteroviral meningitis (a viral - type), lymphocytes are usually elevated in the differential WBC as the body's immune response to the viral infection.
3. (No options are provided for the third question, so only the first two are answered).

Answer:

1. C. low blood pressure
2. D. Abnormally elevated lymphocytes in differential WBC