During a routine visit to a physical education class, a nurse receives multiple complaints of shortness of breath, coughing, and nausea.
What should be the nurse’s immediate action?

Choice A rationale

The Department of Health and Human Resources is primarily responsible for the health and well-being of all Americans. It provides effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services. However, it does not directly deal with environmental hazards such as asbestos.

Choice B rationale

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the correct choice because it is responsible for protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. The EPA has implemented strict regulations for the use, handling, and disposal of asbestos products. In cases of asbestos exposure, the EPA takes actions to protect the public from the adverse health effects of asbestos, a known carcinogen. Therefore, a community health nurse should consult the EPA for guidance regarding a public building that has asbestos leaking from rips in the heating duct insulation.

Choice C rationale

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a national public health institute in the United States. It is a federal agency that conducts and supports health promotion, prevention, and preparedness activities in the United States, with the goal of improving overall public health. While the CDC does work to protect public health, its focus is not specifically on environmental hazards like asbestos.

Choice D rationale

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. While the NIH does conduct research on various health issues, it does not have the regulatory authority to manage environmental hazards such as asbestos.

Choice A rationale

While eating a balanced diet with high-protein snacks is important for healing and overall health, it is not the first thing the nurse should discuss when planning discharge for a client with a pressure injury who requires a special bed at home.

Choice B rationale

The nurse should first ask the client to describe their current living situation. This information is crucial for planning the client’s discharge and ensuring the necessary accommodations can be made for the special bed and other care needs.

Choice C rationale

Discussing the potential for a social worker to help with the cost of supplies is an important part of discharge planning, but it is not the first step. The nurse first needs to understand the client’s living situation and care needs at home.

Choice D rationale

While applying moisture barrier ointment three times a day may be part of the client’s wound care regimen, it is not the first thing the nurse should discuss when planning discharge. The nurse first needs to understand the client’s living situation and care needs at home.