During a nursing assessment of a patient with infective endocarditis, which findings are confirmatory?

The findings of petechiae, splinter hemorrhages, and Osler's nodes are hallmark signs of infective endocarditis and serve as confirmatory indicators of the condition.

Petechiae are small, pinpoint hemorrhages that can appear on the skin or mucous membranes, indicating small vessel bleeding. Splinter hemorrhages are lines of blood that can occur under the nails, while Osler's nodes are painful, raised lesions found on the fingers and toes. These physical manifestations are a result of emboli and immune-mediated responses due to the infection of the heart valves with bacteria or other pathogens.

The presence of these specific findings in conjunction with a patient’s medical history and symptoms can significantly aid in diagnosis, thus confirming the presence of infective endocarditis. Other symptoms or findings might be present in various conditions, but the combination of these three is particularly indicative of infective endocarditis due to the pathophysiological processes involved.