Question

Kenneth Bronson is a 27-year-old male who was just admitted to the Medical Unit from the Emergency Department. He presented to the Emergency Department two hours ago with chest tightness, difficulty breathing, a productive cough for a week, and fever. Chest x-ray revealed right lower lobe pneumonia. IV was started of normal saline at 75 mL per hour. He is receiving oxygen at 2 L/min per nasal cannula. SpO₂ on room air was 90%, which increased to 95% with supplemental oxygen. He had a temp of 102.6°F and was given acetaminophen 1,000 mg in the Emergency Department. Pharmacy just delivered the antibiotics to be given.

Guided Reflection Questions

1. How did the scenario make you feel?

2. What signs and symptoms led you to the conclusion that Kenneth Bronson was experiencing an allergic reaction?

3. Discuss the differences between mild, moderate, and severe anaphylactic reactions.

4. Discuss the importance of follow-up assessments post-reaction.

5.   What further needs does Kenneth Bronson have at the end of the scenario that future nursing care should address?

6. Reflect on how you would communicate with family members in an emergency situation if they were present at the bedside.

7.   After completing the simulation and reflecting on your experience, what would you do differently (or the same) for the patient experiencing acute respiratory distress?

8. How could you prepare for clinical in order to plan ahead for potential patient emergencies?

Answer 1

1). The patient's symptoms are indicating that the patient had an allergic response.

2). The symptoms including the chest tightness and difficulty breathing are the signs of an anaphylactic reaction.

3). Differences between mild, moderate, and severe anaphylaxis

Mild anaphylaxis	Moderate anaphylaxis	Severe (anaphylaxis)
Rashes, hives	Rashes, hives	Altered mental state
Respiratory distress absent	Bronchospasm, inflammation of mucous membrane, abdominal cramps, and normotensive	Hypotension, abdominal cramps, angioedema, bronchospasm, and respiratory distress