Running Head: BACTERIAL MENINGITIS: CONCEPT MAP 1

Bacterial Meningitis: Concept Map

Malissa Harris
Humber College
BACTERIAL MENINGITIS: CONCEPT MAP
Psychosocial Support
-Emotional support is important for
both patient and family due to the
random onset.
-Family will need reassurance that the
disease has a natural onset and that
they did the right thing seeking medical
help
- Be there to listen and to talk to family
and child to minimize blame and guilt
-Keep parent informed of all and nay
changes relating to the child's
condition.
Nursing Process
-Neurological assessment, Pain assessment,
Vital Signs, Respiratory assessment are all
priority
-Maintain fluid and electrolytes
-Assess pain and implement appropriate pain
relief
-Prevent injuries from seizures
-Monitor daily body weight
- Administer Antibiotic as soon as they are
ordered
-Have child placed on respiratory isolation
for at least 24 hours post antimicrobial
therapy
-Keep room quiet; those with meningitis may
be sensitive to noise and light
-Have child side lying, it is best for nuchal
rigidity
-Maintain IV
- Providing teaching for administering
medications through the IV, some patients
may have to go home with an intermittent
infusion device.
-Provide teachings on Meningitis Vaccines,
which are avaliable for kids 1- 4 years of age.
Etiology and Risk Factors
-Can be caused by a variety of different
bacterias. H influenzae type B, S
pneumoniae and NEisseria are responsible
for meningitis in 95% of children older than
9 months. Neonates are often infected by B
Streptococci, E Coli, Listeria monocyogenes.
-Infection is passed by droplet transmission
from nasophayngeal secretions.
-Most common in children <1 year, then
declines and increases again at ages 15-19
years old and declines again.
-Occurs predominently in Adolscence and
school aged children
-H influenzae primarily occurs in Autumn or
early winter, and Pneumococcal and
meningococcal occur at anytime, but mainly
in later winter and early spring.
2
Diagnostic Clinical Manifestation
-MRI and CT Scan to detect a Fever, chills, headache,
shift in brains content prior to vomitting, nuchal
Lumbar puncture (measures rigidity, drowsiness,
fluid pressures-usually elevated stupor, coma,
with meninigitis) delerium, memoty
-Culture and sensitivity is tested impairment, positive
to find the type of infective Brudzinski sign,
organism hallucinations,
-increased WBCs aggresive behaviour,
-Glucose levels decrease, alteration in
glucose taken 30 minutes sensorium, seizures
before lumbar puncture (initial sign), irritability,
-Blood culture is necessary for agitation Young
all kids suspected of meningitis children and neonates:
(may be positive when CSF is poor feeding,
negative) jaundice, cyanosis,
respiratory
irregularities
Treatment
-Bacterial meningitis may be a
medical emergency
-Initiation of antimicrobial
therapy
-maintenance of hydration,
Bacterial ventilation and systemic shock
-treat any complications with ICP
Meningitis MEDICATIONS: Acetaminophen
with codiene for pain,
Dexamethasone (onlu children
over 6 weeks, and given with
antibiotics), Antibiotic (Penicillins,
Cephalosporins, aminoglycosides
or Glycopeptides) vary depending
on type of infective organism
causing meningitis, Antimicrobial
is changed depending on
organsim as well. Dilantin may be
used to treat seizures in some
cases.
Pathophysiology
-Acute inflammation of the meninges in CSF
-The most common route of onset is through vascular
dissemination from an infection elsewhere in the body
that spreads.
-Organisms can enter through a wound and directly
implant itself (ie. Through a skull fracture)
-Organisms can also be spread through droplet
transmission to different hosts.
-Once the bacteria is implanted it spreads to the CSF, then
spreads through the subarachnoid space.
-The brain becomes edematous and the entire surface of
the brain is covered by a layer of purulent that varies
depending on type of infection
-As the infection spreads, it can reach the ventricles filling
them with thick purulent, fibrin or adhesions that end up
occluding narrow passages and block CSF flow.
BACTERIAL MENINGITIS: CONCEPT MAP 3

REFRENCES

Bacterial Meningitis Nursing Management and Interventions - Nurseslabs. (2012, February 29).
Retrieved October 12, 2015.

Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis Treatment & Management. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2015.

Perry, Shannon, Marilyn Hockenberry, Deitra Lowdermilk, David Wilson, Cheryl Sams.
Maternal Child Nursing Care in Canada. Mosby Canada, 2013. VitalBook file.