Question

A nurse is providing follow-up care for a client who sustained a compound fracture 3 weeks ago. The nurse should recognize that an unexpected finding for which of the following laboratory values is a manifestation of osteomyelitis should be reported to the provider?

Option 1: Elevated white blood cell count
Option 2: Decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Option 3: Normal C-reactive protein
Option 4: Low alkaline phosphatase levels

Answer 1

Elevated white blood cell count is an expected finding in osteomyelitis, while a normal C-reactive protein is an unexpected finding that should be reported to the provider.

Step-by-step explanation:

Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of bone tissues most commonly caused by infection. When assessing a client for osteomyelitis, an elevated white blood cell count is an expected finding, as it indicates the presence of infection. Therefore, the unexpected finding for osteomyelitis would be a normal C-reactive protein, as this marker is typically elevated in cases of infection.