What finding should a nurse expect when assessing an infant with a ventricular septal defect?

In the context of assessing an infant with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), the expected finding is a loud, harsh murmur. VSD is a congenital heart defect characterized by an opening in the interventricular septum that allows blood to flow from the left ventricle to the right ventricle. This shunting of blood leads to an increased volume of blood in the right ventricle and pulmonary arteries.

The murmur associated with VSD is typically a high-pitched, loud, and harsh sound due to the turbulent blood flow across the defect. This type of murmur is usually best heard along the left sternal border and is representative of the significant pressure difference between the ventricles when the left ventricle contracts.

Other options, such as a soft or blowing murmur, would be less characteristic of a VSD. A soft murmur might suggest a smaller defect or less turbulence, while a continuous murmur is more indicative of conditions such as a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) rather than VSD. The absence of a murmur would also not align with the presence of a significant ventricular septal defect, as one would typically expect to hear a murmur with this condition. Therefore, a