A nurse working at a middle school suspects that a student is experiencing physical abuse after performing an assessment on them. Which of the following actions should the nurse take next?
Make a report to Child Protective Services (CPS)
Call the police and report the suspected abuse.
Call the child's guardian to have the child's pediatrician confirm the suspected abuse.
Alert the school principal of the situation.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A: Make a Report to Child Protective Services (CPS)
This is the correct action for the nurse to take. Nurses are mandated reporters, meaning they are legally required to report any suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. Child Protective Services (CPS) is the agency responsible for investigating reports of child abuse and ensuring the safety and well-being of children. Reporting to CPS ensures that the case is handled by professionals trained to investigate and intervene in such situations.
Choice B: Call the Police and Report the Suspected Abuse
While calling the police may seem like a logical step, it is not the primary action a nurse should take in this situation. The police may become involved later in the process, especially if there is an immediate threat to the child's safety. However, the initial report should be made to CPS, as they are the designated agency for handling child abuse cases.
Choice C: Call the Child's Guardian to Have the Child's Pediatrician Confirm the Suspected Abuse
This action is not appropriate because it could potentially place the child in further danger. If the guardian is the abuser, notifying them could lead to retaliation against the child or attempts to cover up the abuse. Additionally, it is not the role of the pediatrician to confirm abuse; this is the responsibility of CPS and law enforcement.
Choice D: Alert the School Principal of the Situation
While it is important to keep school officials informed, the nurse's primary responsibility is to report the suspected abuse to CPS. The school principal can be informed after the report has been made, but the immediate priority is to ensure the child's safety by contacting the appropriate authorities.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A: Develop a Team Strategy
Developing a team strategy is an important step in the CHANGE model, but it is not the first step. Before a strategy can be developed, it is essential to have a team in place. The team will collaborate to create a strategy that aligns with the community's needs and goals.
Choice B: Gather Data
Gathering data is a crucial part of the community assessment process. However, it is not the initial step in the CHANGE model. Data collection comes after the team has been assembled and a strategy has been developed. The team needs to be in place to determine what data is needed and how it will be collected.
Choice C: Build the Community Action Plan
Building the community action plan is a later step in the CHANGE model. This step involves using the data collected to develop a plan that addresses the community's health needs. The action plan is created after the team has been assembled, a strategy has been developed, and data has been gathered.
Choice D: Assemble the Team
This is the correct first step in the CHANGE model. Assembling the team involves bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders who will work collaboratively to assess the community and develop an action plan. The team typically includes representatives from various sectors of the community, such as health care, education, business, and local government.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
Giving health education to congregants of a place of worship is an important role, but it is more specific to community health nursing rather than population health nursing. Population health nurses focus on broader community and population-level interventions rather than specific groups within a community.
Choice B Reason:
Disseminating assessment findings to the community that was assessed is a key function of a population health nurse. This role involves collecting data on the health status of a population, analyzing it, and sharing the findings with the community to inform and guide public health interventions. This process helps in identifying health trends, risks, and needs, enabling the development of targeted health programs and policies.
Choice C Reason:
Supporting clients in managing their own health conditions is typically a function of clinical or community health nurses who work directly with individual patients. Population health nurses, on the other hand, focus on the health outcomes of entire populations rather than individual patient care.
Choice D Reason:
Overseeing the health promotion of the pediatric population in an academic setting is a specialized role that falls under school nursing or pediatric nursing. While population health nurses may work with pediatric populations, their focus is on broader public health strategies rather than specific settings like schools.
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