Respiratory distress in a child
Purpose of this sheet: essential pediatrics landmarks a nurse or licensed practical nurse in Quebec should keep in mind for clinical practice and for succeeding on the OIIQ or OIIAQ entry exam. Exam relevance: The OIIQ exam requires age-appropriate assessment, anticipation of rapid pediatric decompensation, and per-kilogram dose calculations. — Clinical landmarks — Signs, from mild to severe: tachypnea, intercostal then subcostal retractions, nasal flaring, head bobbing, expiratory grunting, cyanosis. Grunting is a late and ominous sign. The trap: a child who suddenly becomes calm with a falling respiratory rate and decreased effort is exhausting, not improving. That is impending respiratory failure. Escalate immediately. — Remember — Use this sheet in spaced repetition, pair it with a matching clinical scenario on NursEduc, and always compare values to the person's baseline before drawing conclusions. Keywords: pediatrics, child, infant, adolescent, pediatric dose, OIIQ exam, OIIQ exam prep, OIIAQ exam prep, nurse in Quebec, NursEduc.