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Streptococcal Pharyngitis Management
Describe your clinical experience for this week.
- Did you face any challenges, any success? If so, what were they?
- Describe the assessment of a patient, detailing the signs and symptoms (S&S), assessment, plan of care, and at least 3 possible differential diagnosis with rationales.
- Mention the health promotion intervention for this patient.
- What did you learn from this week’s clinical experience that can beneficial for you as an advanced practice nurse?
- Support your plan of care with the current peer-reviewed research guideline.
MUST BE ON PEDIATRIC TOPIC
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
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Streptococcal Pharyngitis Management
This week, my clinical experience was focused on pediatrics, where I encountered diverse patient cases that offered valuable insights into the care and management of children. A notable experience involved assessing and managing a 6-year-old male patient presenting with symptoms of fever, sore throat, and fatigue.
Challenges and Successes
One of the main challenges was effectively communicating with the young patient to gather a comprehensive history while maintaining their comfort and trust. Children often struggle to articulate their symptoms, and gaining accurate information required engaging with both the patient and the caregiver. A significant success, however, was establishing rapport quickly through child-friendly communication techniques, which eased the child’s anxiety and facilitated a more thorough assessment.
Patient Assessment
Signs and Symptoms (S&S):
- Fever (reported by the caregiver as 102°F)
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Decreased appetite
- Red, inflamed tonsils with visible exudates upon examination
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
Assessment and Plan of Care: The patient’s symptoms were consistent with an upper respiratory infection, specifically concerning for streptococcal pharyngitis. A rapid antigen detection test (RADT) was performed, followed by a throat culture to confirm the diagnosis.
The plan of care included:
- Prescribing a 10-day course of amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day in divided doses), which aligns with current pediatric guidelines for streptococcal pharyngitis.
- Education for the caregiver on fever management, including alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen as needed.
- Encouragement to maintain hydration and a soft diet to minimize throat irritation.
- Discussion of the importance of completing the entire antibiotic course to prevent complications such as rheumatic fever.
- Follow-up appointment in one week to assess treatment efficacy and symptom resolution.
Differential Diagnoses with Rationales
- Viral pharyngitis: This is the most common cause of sore throat in children and often presents with fever, fatigue, and…