A nurse is preparing a child for a lumbar puncture.
In which of the following positions should the child be placed for the procedure?

Choice A rationale

A rectal body temperature of 37.3 C (99.1 F) in a school-age child is within the normal range, so it does not need to be reported.

Choice B rationale

A heart rate of 68/min in an 18-month-old toddler is below the normal range (80-130 beats per minute). This could indicate a serious condition such as heart block or hypothermia and should be reported to the provider.

Choice C rationale

A blood pressure of 132/82 mm Hg in an adolescent is slightly elevated but within acceptable limits for a teenager, especially if the teenager was nervous or anxious during the measurement.

Choice D rationale

A respiratory rate of 36/min in a 3-month-old infant is within the normal range (30-60 breaths per minute), so it does not need to be reported.

Choice A rationale

A preschool-age child being curious about what happened to the sibling’s body is an age-appropriate response to death. At this age, children often view death as temporary or reversible, and they may be curious about the physical realities of death.

Choice B rationale

A preschool-age child feeling responsible for the sibling’s death is not an age-appropriate response to death. While children at this age may sometimes believe their thoughts or actions can influence events, it’s not typical for them to feel personally responsible for a death.

Choice C rationale

A preschool-age child being able to give a logical explanation for the sibling’s death is not an age-appropriate response to death. Preschoolers typically have a limited understanding of the causes and permanence of death.

Choice D rationale

A preschool-age child viewing the sibling’s death as permanent is not an age-appropriate response to death. Most children in this age group do not understand that death is permanent.