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A Patient Assessment refers to the ability of the medical professional to perform an initial
observance and examination of a patient in order to get a general idea of their current status.
This is fundamentally true, not only for adults but for infants and children as well. A typical
neonatal or pediatric patient assessment may include the following:
Each patient is unique, therefore, each patient assessment may be unique as well.
Neonatal and Pediatric Patient Assessment Practice
Questions:
1. While attending to a neonatal patient in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the
therapist notices that a transcutaneous electrode is affixed to the upper chest of the
neonate. What should the therapist do at this time?
The therapist should continue monitoring because the electrode is properly placed.
2. What is the Apgar scale?
It is a standard measurement system that looks for a variety of indications of good health in
newborns.
3. During a physical examination of a child’s chest, the therapist assesses increased tactile
fremitus over the patient’s right lower lobe. Which of the following conditions may cause
this physical finding?
Pulmonary consolidation.
4. Which of the following is the main physiologic factor responsible for deriving accurate
transcutaneous data?
Peripheral perfusion.
10. Which of the following factors would adversely affect the correlation between arterial
puncture measurements and those from a capillary sample?
Hypotension.
11. While auscultating a young child’s thorax, the therapist hears bilateral fine crackles.
Which of the following conditions can produce these adventitious sounds?
Pulmonary edema.
12. Which of the following components compose the history of present illness section of a
patient’s medical history?
Aggravating or alleviating factors.
13. What is the most common invasive procedure to assess the fetal condition?
Amniocentesis.
14. Which of the following disorders can develop in neonates as a result of receiving
concentrations of oxygen that produce a high PaO2?
Retinopathy of Prematurity.
15. As the head of a neonate contaminated with meconium emerges at birth, the heart rate
monitor indicates 120 beats/minute, and the physician notices that the infant has good
muscle tone and a strong respiratory effort. What should the physician do at this time to
provide airway care?
Only routine monitoring of respiratory vital signs is needed at this time.
16. What is the APGAR score of a newborn with the following assessments: HR 80 bpm;
Cyanotic; Grimace; Some flexion; Respiratory Rate 0.
3
17. What is the main potential problem associated with the premature rupture of
membranes?
Fetal infection.
18. A pregnant woman at 30 weeks of gestation with premature rupture of membranes has
been admitted to the hospital with preterm labor. The physician has ordered
betamethasone. When does the maximal benefit of antenatal corticosteroid occur to
reduce RDS?
After 48 hours.
19. Which of the following pieces of information DO NOT represent components of patient
history for a new pediatric patient?
Occupational History.
20. The therapist has evaluated a neonate’s oxygenation status to be as follows: PaO2, 40
mm Hg, and SpO2 (oxygen saturation as determined by pulse oximetry), 80%. What should
the therapist do at this time?
An FiO2 sufficient to raise the SpO2 to 90% needs to be given.
21. A respiratory therapist notices that an infant presents with irregular areas of dusky skin
alternating with areas of pale skin. On the basis of this observation, which of the following
conditions should the therapist anticipate this patient is having?
Hypotension.
22. While percussing the thorax of a child during a physical examination, the therapist
hears a dull percussion note over the child’s right lung. Which of the following conditions
WOULD NOT cause this physical finding?
Pneumothorax.
23. When is surfactant developed?
It is developed 34 weeks in gestation.
24. What happens if there is not enough surfactant?
It will cause low lung compliance, so then the lungs can’t keep the alveoli open, which will
cause RDS.
25. What are important questions to ask about a neonate’s history?
The type of delivery, presence of meconium or risks of infection, Is the baby full term?, Is the
baby breathing or crying?, and Does the baby have good muscle tone?
26. How can you know if a baby has good muscle tone?
If they appear to be somewhat in a ball; you do not want them to be limp.
27. How often should you do the APGAR scale?
1 and 5 minutes.
28. What is a good goal of the APGAR scale?
7 by 5-10 minutes post birth.
29. What should the SpO2 do after birth?
It should increase by 5% each minute for 1st 5 minutes of life.
30. In general, how do neonates breathe?
They are obligate nose breathers. They have rapid shallow breaths to maintain their FRC.
31. What is the breathing pattern for a baby?
Rapid and fast with periods of apnea.
32. What are the breath sounds for neonates?
Bronchovesicular breath sounds. You mostly hear them on the expiratory phase.
33. What kind of suction would you use for babies?
Bulb suction for the mouth and nose.
34. What is the Larynx like in a pediatric airway?
It has a forward tilt.
50. What PFT volumes can be measured easily in newborns independent of their
cooperation?
(1) Their FRC (by closed system helium dilution or closed system nitrogen wash out), (2) Their
Thoracic Gas Volumes (TGV) (requires use of a plethysmography and measures all the gas in the
thoracic cavity), and their Crying Vital Capacity (done by measuring the tidal volume while the
infant is crying). The infant should be able to cry vigorously.
51. What type of x-ray films are most often used on infants?
AP films and Lateral chest films.
52. What are the indications for infant chest x-ray?
Unexplained tachypnea, cyanosis, abnormal breath sounds, malformation of the chest or
airway, sick appearance, and mechanically ventilated infants.
53. Why is airway assessment of a newborn infant on a ventilator much more difficult to
assess than an adult?
An infant has a short tracheal length (less than 10 cm) and an increased compliance of the chest
wall (chest rise); and bilateral air movement and sounds.
54. How is hemodynamic assessment easy and hard in an infant?
Cannulation of umbilical vessels allows easy venous and arterial access. (Cannulation of the
aorta and superior vena cava is easy). Pulmonary artery monitoring is difficult (due to right to
left shunting, PDA, PFA make cardiac output calculations difficult to assess).
55. What respiratory disease, common in young children is a viral disease typically
proceeded by cold symptoms, may present with fever, may have stridor in severe cases;
symptoms worsen when crying or upset, typically self-limiting but can require intubation?
Croup.
56. What respiratory disease, common in young children is a bacterial disease, typically
presents abruptly with drooling, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and respiratory distress;
Patient is usually febrile, with stridor and no cough; requires intubation?
Epiglottitis
57. What should you look for with palpation on a pediatric assessment?
Remember that palpation is not helpful in patients under 3 years old. Otherwise, you look for
the tracheal position, spinal abnormalities, pulses, capillary reflex, and tactile rhonchi.
58. Where should you get a pulse on a pediatric patient?
Feel for their brachial pulse. The pattern should be normal.
59. What should the capillary reflex be on a pediatric patient?
It should be less than or equal to 2 seconds.
60. When is percussion useful?
When the patient is older than 2 years of age.
61. What are adventitious breath sounds with pediatric patients?
Wheezes (rhonchi), crackles (rales), pleural rub, stridor, and decreased breath sounds.
62. What is the length of inspiration vs expiration with pediatric patients?
1:1
● Faarc, Walsh Brian Rrt-Nps Accs. Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care. 5th ed.,
Saunders, 2018. [Link]
● —. Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care. 12th ed., Mosby, 2020. [Link]
● —. Wilkins’ Clinical Assessment in Respiratory Care. 8th ed., Mosby, 2017. [Link]
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