Elevate head of bed 30 degrees to decrease intracranial pressure.
Keep suction and oxygen available at bedside.
Administer cooling blanket if the patient’s temperature rises >101.3°F
(38.5°C).
Assess the anterior fontanel in infant to determine if it is bulging due to
increase intracranial pressure.
Measure the patient’s head circumference per shift to detect increase
intracranial pressure.
Assess motor skills.
Assess vital signs for indication of increase intracranial pressure.
Assess the patient’s level of consciousness.
Explain to the patient why restrictions such as bed rest are necessary and
that a vaccine is available for meningococcal meningitis. The two differ-
ent types are meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) and con-
jugate vaccine (MCV4).(^208) Pediatric Nursing Demystified
You are the triage RN in the Emergency Department (ED). A parent and 5-year old
walk into the ED. The parent says that the child has a fever and a stiff neck. What
would you do?
a. Ask the parent to sign in and take a seat until they are called since the child is
ambulatory.
b. Take the child immediately to an isolation room.
c. Ask the parent how long the child has had the fever.
d. Ask the parent to take the child to his family health-care provider.
Answer:
✔ ROUTINE CHECKUP 1
Encephalitis
What Went Wrong?
Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain tissue most often caused by a
virus but also can be caused by bacteria, fungus, or protozoa. In viral
encephalitis, the patient typically has had viral symptoms prior to the current
illness because the virus enters the CNS via the bloodstream and begins to
reproduce. Inflammation in the area follows, causing damage to the neurons.