A 90-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s lives in a nursing facility. A nurse notices that she has been coughing frequently and seems warm to the touch. She performs an evaluation on the woman and confirms a fever with a dry cough. She also notices that her throat seems inflamed and irritated. The woman is unable to answer questions about how she has been feeling lately to provide a history for the nurse. The nurse ensures that the woman is comfortable and returns to the nursing station to review that patient’s chart. The nurse finds that within the year that the patient has been in the nursing facility, she has had two respiratory infections diagnosed as pneumonia. The nurse calls the physician, worried that the patient may be developing pneumonia again. Review the CBC results for this patient. Cite references.     Reference Range     Reference Range WBC 25.4  × 103/uL 4.8–10.8 × 103/uL Neutrophils 81% 60%–70% RBC 5.8 × 109/L 4.7–6.1 × 109/L Lymphocytes 18% 20%–30% Hgb 13.1 g/dL 14–18 g/dL Monocytes 1% 5%–10% Hct 46% 42%–52% Eosinophils 0 0%–5% Plt 210 × 109/L 150–450 × 109/L Basophils 0 0%–2% MPV 8.5 fL 7.4–10.4 fL Absolute neutrophils 20.6 1.4–6.5 × 103/uL       Absolute lymphocytes 4.6 1.2–3.4 × 103/uL       Absolute monocytes 0.3 0.1–0.6 × 103/uL       Absolute eosinophils 0 0–0.5 × 103/uL       Absolute basophils 0 0–0.2 × 103/uL Question:               Pneumonia is an infection of the lung that can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungi. What initial laboratory analysis would help to determine whether an infection is present?           Based on what you know about the cells of the immune system, do you suspect this patient to have an infection, and if so, what is a probable cause?           Would you require the sample to be tested in microbiology for blood cultures? Explain your answer.

Intro To Health Care
4th Edition
ISBN:9781337338295
Author:Mitchell
Publisher:Mitchell
Chapter10: Infection Control
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1PSP
icon
Related questions
icon
Concept explainers
Question

A 90-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s lives in a nursing facility. A nurse notices that she has been coughing frequently and seems warm to the touch. She performs an evaluation on the woman and confirms a fever with a dry cough. She also notices that her throat seems inflamed and irritated. The woman is unable to answer questions about how she has been feeling lately to provide a history for the nurse. The nurse ensures that the woman is comfortable and returns to the nursing station to review that patient’s chart. The nurse finds that within the year that the patient has been in the nursing facility, she has had two respiratory infections diagnosed as pneumonia. The nurse calls the physician, worried that the patient may be developing pneumonia again.

Review the CBC results for this patient.

Cite references.

   

Reference Range

   

Reference Range

WBC

25.4  × 103/uL

4.8–10.8 × 103/uL

Neutrophils

81%

60%–70%

RBC

5.8 × 109/L

4.7–6.1 × 109/L

Lymphocytes

18%

20%–30%

Hgb

13.1 g/dL

14–18 g/dL

Monocytes

1%

5%–10%

Hct

46%

42%–52%

Eosinophils

0

0%–5%

Plt

210 × 109/L

150–450 × 109/L

Basophils

0

0%–2%

MPV

8.5 fL

7.4–10.4 fL

Absolute neutrophils

20.6

1.4–6.5 × 103/uL

     

Absolute lymphocytes

4.6

1.2–3.4 × 103/uL

     

Absolute monocytes

0.3

0.1–0.6 × 103/uL

     

Absolute eosinophils

0

0–0.5 × 103/uL

     

Absolute basophils

0

0–0.2 × 103/uL

Question:

  1.               Pneumonia is an infection of the lung that can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungi. What initial laboratory analysis would help to determine whether an infection is present?
  2.           Based on what you know about the cells of the immune system, do you suspect this patient to have an infection, and if so, what is a probable cause?
  3.           Would you require the sample to be tested in microbiology for blood cultures? Explain your answer.
Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Organ system
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, nursing and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
Intro To Health Care
Intro To Health Care
Health & Nutrition
ISBN:
9781337338295
Author:
Mitchell
Publisher:
Cengage
Comprehensive Medical Assisting: Administrative a…
Comprehensive Medical Assisting: Administrative a…
Nursing
ISBN:
9781305964792
Author:
Wilburta Q. Lindh, Carol D. Tamparo, Barbara M. Dahl, Julie Morris, Cindy Correa
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Essentials of Pharmacology for Health Professions
Essentials of Pharmacology for Health Professions
Nursing
ISBN:
9781305441620
Author:
WOODROW
Publisher:
Cengage
Essentials Health Info Management Principles/Prac…
Essentials Health Info Management Principles/Prac…
Health & Nutrition
ISBN:
9780357191651
Author:
Bowie
Publisher:
Cengage
Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billin…
Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billin…
Health & Nutrition
ISBN:
9781337679480
Author:
GREEN
Publisher:
Cengage