Epiglottitis
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
PediatricsRespiratoryInfectious Diseasehigh priorityneeds review
Epiglottitis
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Bacterial infection or inflammation causes swelling of the epiglottis; Hib vaccination lowered classic cases.
- Swollen epiglottis can rapidly obstruct the upper airway.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Antibiotics by class | IV antibiotics are used after airway is secured or per emergency plan. |
Signs / symptoms
- Drooling, tripod, dysphagia, distress.
- Do not put anything in the mouth or throat.
- Airway team before routine assessment.
Nursing actions
- Keep the child calm and upright; do not inspect throat with tongue blade if epiglottitis is suspected.
- Call rapid response/provider and prepare controlled airway management.
- Monitor drooling, stridor, tripod position, muffled voice, cyanosis, and exhaustion.
Complications
- Complete airway obstruction
- Respiratory arrest
- Sepsis
NCLEX cues
- Drooling, tripod, dysphagia, distress.
- Do not put anything in the mouth or throat.
- Airway team before routine assessment.
Memory hooks
- Epiglottitis: do not look, call airway help.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Clinical airway assessment
- Blood cultures after stabilization
- Lateral neck imaging only if stable and ordered
Review notes
- Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Source entitycondition card
Epiglottitis
Condition card for Epiglottitis: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Termcondition cue
Droplet precautions
Isolation used for infections spread by large respiratory droplets.
Termcondition cue
Stridor
High-pitched upper airway sound, often heard on inspiration.
Med classmedication safety
Antibiotics by class
Targets bacterial growth or cell structures; exact teaching depends on the antibiotic class.
Procedureprocedure
Emergency airway assessment and management
Focused evaluation and support of airway patency, breathing effort, oxygenation, and need for escalation.
Procedureprocedure
Transmission-based precautions
Additional PPE and room practices used with standard precautions for contagious organisms.