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.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A: Quality of Education
Quality of education is an important factor in long-term health and socioeconomic status. However, it is not the immediate priority in this scenario. The client's report of skipping meals indicates an urgent need for addressing food insecurity, which directly impacts their health and well-being. Ensuring the client has access to adequate and nutritious food is essential for their immediate health needs and recovery.
Choice B: Economic Stability
Economic stability is crucial for long-term health and well-being, but it is not the most immediate concern in this scenario. Addressing food access will have a more direct and immediate impact on the client's health. Once the client's nutritional needs are met, the nurse can then work on connecting the client with resources to improve their economic stability.
Choice C: Health Care Illiteracy
Health care illiteracy refers to a lack of understanding about health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. While this is an important issue, it is not the immediate priority in this scenario. The client's report of skipping meals indicates an urgent need for addressing food insecurity, which directly impacts their health and well-being.
Choice D: Food Access
This is the correct choice. Food access is a critical issue because it directly affects the client's nutritional status and overall health. Skipping meals due to financial constraints can lead to malnutrition, weakened immune function, and delayed recovery from cellulitis. Ensuring the client has access to adequate and nutritious food is essential for their immediate health needs and recovery.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A: "I Will Not Know if I Am Going to Be in the Intervention or Control Group."
This statement indicates an understanding of the concept of blinding in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, and they are often blinded to which group they are in to prevent bias. This helps ensure the validity and reliability of the study results.
Choice B: "The Study Will Last for 10 Years. You Will Contact Me Annually for an Interview and Blood Work."
While this statement may describe the duration and follow-up procedures of some studies, it does not specifically indicate an understanding of the key aspects of a randomized controlled trial, such as randomization and blinding. The focus here is on the logistics rather than the methodology of the RCT.
Choice C: "You'll Need to Find Other Participants Like Me but Who Do Not Have This Disease."
This statement suggests a misunderstanding of the typical participant selection process for an RCT. In many RCTs, especially those testing new treatments, participants are selected based on having the condition being studied. The comparison is usually between those receiving the intervention and those receiving a placebo or standard treatment, not between those with and without the disease.
Choice D: "The Survey Will Take an Hour to Complete and Then I'll Be Done."
This statement indicates a misunderstanding of the nature of participation in an RCT. RCTs often involve multiple assessments, follow-ups, and possibly interventions over a period of time. A single survey is unlikely to encompass the full scope of participation in an RCT.
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