What symptom should the nurse expect in a child experiencing a vaso-occlusive crisis due to sickle cell anemia?

In a vaso-occlusive crisis associated with sickle cell anemia, the most prominent symptom the nurse would expect is pain. This type of crisis occurs when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow in small blood vessels, leading to tissue ischemia and subsequent pain. The intense pain often manifests in the bones, chest, abdomen, or joints and can vary in intensity.

While fever, fatigue, and blue-tinged skin can occur in various medical conditions or situations involving sickle cell anemia, they are not the hallmark symptoms directly associated with a vaso-occlusive crisis. Fever might present if there is an infection or another concurrent condition, fatigue can be a generalized symptom due to anemia or chronic illness, and blue-tinged skin indicates cyanosis, which could occur with severe hypoxia but is not specific to vaso-occlusive crises. Pain, therefore, is the defining symptom clinicians expect to see in this situation.