A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who is actively bleeding from a stab wound to the thigh.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

The correct answer is choice d. Privately interview the client about the injuries.

Choice A rationale:

Contacting the family regarding the client’s condition might not be appropriate if the family is suspected of being involved in the abuse. It could potentially put the client at further risk.

Choice B rationale:

Notifying risk management is important for documentation and internal review, but it does not directly address the immediate need to assess and ensure the client’s safety.

Choice C rationale:

Informing the transferring agency of the client’s condition is necessary for continuity of care, but it does not address the immediate need to investigate the cause of the injuries and ensure the client’s safety.

Choice D rationale:

Privately interviewing the client about the injuries allows the nurse to gather more information about the cause of the injuries in a safe and confidential manner. This step is crucial in assessing the situation and determining if further action, such as reporting to authorities, is needed. It ensures the client’s safety and helps in identifying any potential abuse.

Choice A rationale:

Maintaining eye contact with the newborn during feedings is a general caregiving practice and is not specific to managing neonatal abstinence syndrome. While eye contact and bonding are important for newborns, it does not address the symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Choice B rationale:

Swaddling the newborn with his legs extended is not a specific action for managing neonatal abstinence syndrome. However, swaddling can provide comfort to some infants, but the positioning of the legs is not directly related to managing symptoms of withdrawal.

Choice C rationale:

Administering naloxone to the newborn is not a standard practice for managing neonatal abstinence syndrome. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used to reverse opioid overdose in adults and is not typically used in newborns unless there are specific indications, which are rare.