A pediatric client is admitted to the emergency department with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that caused a loss of consciousness. The last set of vital signs showed heart rate 48, blood pressure (BP) 148/74 mmHg, respiratory rate 28 and irregular. Which does the nurse suspect based on these data?
A) Spinal cord injury
B) Increased intracranial pressure.
C) Typical for sleep
D) Improvement

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The low heart rate and high blood pressure indicate a potential increase in intracranial pressure, which is a common complication of traumatic brain injury. The irregular respiratory rate may also be a result of this. Spinal cord injury would likely have different vital sign abnormalities. Typical sleep vital signs would not include a low heart rate and high blood pressure, and improvement would not likely manifest as these particular vital sign changes.

A Pediatric Client Is Admitted to the Emergency Department with a Traumatic