Learning System RN 3.0 Nursing Care of Children Practice Test

Prioritizing care in a group of pediatric clients requires evaluating the urgency and potential severity of each patient's condition. The correct choice focuses on the child with sickle cell anemia and a urine specific gravity of 1.030.

In this context, the priority is based on the child's underlying health condition, which is sickle cell anemia. This condition can predispose patients to a variety of complications, including vaso-occlusive crises that can result in severe pain, acute chest syndrome, and other life-threatening complications. The urine specific gravity of 1.030 indicates possible dehydration or concentrated urine, which is concerning because it can exacerbate sickle cell crises. Maintaining proper hydration is critical in these patients to prevent sickling of red blood cells and the associated complications.

While other choices present important considerations — such as the child with a fever possibly indicating infection, a child with mild diarrhea needing hydration assessment, or a child recovering from an upper respiratory infection — they do not indicate the same immediate risk for complications associated with sickle cell disease. Thus, the nurse must prioritize the care of the child with sickle cell anemia, as intervention could prevent rapid deterioration of their condition.