During a routine pediatric history and physical, the parents report that their child was a very small, premature infant that had to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit longer than usual

Question

They state that the infant was yellow when born and developed an infection that required "every antibiotic under the sun" to reach a cure. Which exam is a priority for the nurse to conduct on the child?
a. Cardiac
b. Respiratory
c. Ophthalmic
d. Hearing acuity

Answer 1

ANS: D
Hearing is the priority. Risk factors for hearing problems include low birth weight, nonbacterial intrauterine infection, and excessively high bilirubin levels. Hearing loss due to ototoxicity (injury to auditory nerves) can result from high maintenance doses of antibiotics. Cardiac, respiratory, and eye examinations are important assessments but are not relevant to this child's condition.