A charge nurse is concerned about a recent increase in facility-acquired catheter infections.

Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

The correct answer is choice D. The client is oriented times three.

This means that the client knows who they are, where they are, and what time it is. This indicates a high level of consciousness and a normal Glasgow coma scale (GCS) rating of 15.

Choice A is wrong because the client withdraws from pain.

This means that the client reacts to a painful stimulus by pulling away from it. This indicates a lower level of consciousness and a GCS rating of 4 for motor response.

Choice B is wrong because the client is unable to obey commands.

This means that the client does not follow simple instructions such as moving a limb or opening their eyes. This indicates a lower level of consciousness and a GCS rating of 1 or 2 for motor response.

Choice C is wrong because the client opens eyes to sound.

This means that the client does not open their eyes spontaneously, but only when they hear a loud noise. This indicates a lower level of consciousness and a GCS rating of 3 for eye opening.

The Glasgow coma scale is a clinical tool used to assess the level of consciousness of a person after a brain injury.

It consists of three tests: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response.

Each test has a score range from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating higher levels of consciousness. The total score ranges from 3 to 15, with lower scores indicating higher risk of death.

The correct answer is choice C: “Do you have thoughts of harming yourself?”.

This is the priority question for the nurse to ask the client because it assesses the client’s risk for suicide, which is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of conduct disorder. The nurse should use a direct and nonjudgmental approach when asking about suicidal ideation and plan.

Choice A: “How do you get along with your peers at school?” is wrong because it is not the most urgent question to ask the client.

While it is important to assess the client’s social relationships and possible peer rejection, this can be done after addressing the client’s safety and mental status.

Choice B: “Do you have a criminal record?” is wrong because it is not relevant to the client’s current condition and might make the client feel defensive or stigmatized.

The nurse should avoid asking questions that imply blame or judgment and focus on the client’s strengths and coping skills.

Choice D: “How do you manage your behavior?” is wrong because it is not appropriate for the nurse to ask the client in an emergency department setting.

This question might imply that the client is responsible for their conduct disorder, which is a complex and multifactorial mental health condition. The nurse should collaborate with the client and their family to develop a behavior management plan that involves positive reinforcement, limit setting, and consistent consequences.

Normal ranges: According to the DSM-5, conduct disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others or societal norms.

The symptoms of conduct disorder include aggression, deceitfulness, destruction of property, serious rule violations, and lack of remorse.

Conduct disorder can cause significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. The prevalence of conduct disorder is estimated to be 4% among children and adolescents.

The risk factors for conduct disorder include genetic factors, neurobiological factors, environmental factors, and psychological factors.