CASE STUDY 1

H. is a 2-week-old infant brought to the emergency department (ED) by his mother, who speaks little English. Her husband is at work. She is young and appears frightened and anxious. Through a translator, Mrs. H reports that J.H. has not been eating, sleeps all the time, and is not normal.

1. What should your assessment include?
2. What are some of the obstacles you need to consider, recognizing that Mrs. H does not speak or understand English well?

The ED physician orders the following lab work: CBC with differential, blood culture, complete metabolic panel (CMP), urinalysis (UA), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for culture, glucose, protein, cell count (following a lumbar puncture). J.H. is admitted to the medical unit with a diagnosis of rule our (R/O) sepsis and meningitis.

1. What lab values would you anticipate being above normal and why?

Case Study 2