A nurse is caring for a 15-year-old adolescent who has cellulitis of the left lower call. Exhibits The nurse is assessing the adolescent 24 hr after the initial visit. How should the nurse interpret the findings? For each finding, click to specify whether the finding is an Indication of potential improvement or an indication of potential worsening condition. There must be at least 1 selection in every row. There does not need to be a selection in every column.

Findings Indication of potential Improvement Indication of potential worsening condition WBC count ✓ Temperature ✓ Wound assessment ✓ Weight-bearing ability on the affected leg ✓ WBC count: The WBC count increased from 14,000 to 15,000/mm³, indicating a persisting or intensifying systemic inflammatory response. This could reflect an ongoing or worsening infection despite treatment and warrants continued monitoring. Temperature: The adolescent’s temperature decreased from 38.8°C to 37.6°C, indicating reduced systemic inflammatory response and a likely response to antibiotic therapy. Wound assessment: The area of induration decreased from 6 x 6 cm to 5 x 5 cm, suggesting local improvement in inflammation and effectiveness of treatment. Weight-bearing ability on affected leg: The adolescent was able to ambulate twice and tolerated it well, suggesting reduced pain, improved mobility, and stabilization of the local infection.