Nursing Prioritization Delegation Assignment Q 78
Nurse Pietro receives an 11-month old child with a fracture of the left femur on the pediatric unit. Which action is important for the nurse to take first?
A. Call for a social worker to meet with the family.
B. Check the child's blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature.
C. Administer pain medications
D. Speak with the parents about how the fracture occurred.
Correct Answer: D. Speak with the parents about how the fracture occurred.
In case of injury, especially among children, it is very important that the nurse should first assess possible abuse. Abuse is one of the reporting responsibilities of the nurse. The first step in any child protection response system is the identification of possible incidents of child maltreatment. Medical personnel, educators, childcare providers, mental health professionals, law enforcement personnel, the clergy, and other professionals are often in a position to observe and/or screen families and children to identify abuse or neglect when it occurs.
Option A: An initial assessment or investigation is conducted on reports that are screened in during the intake process to identify whether the maltreatment can be substantiated. In addition to child protective services and law enforcement, other professionals such as medical and mental health personnel, teachers and childcare providers, and foster care or residential staff may play a role in the initial assessment.
Option B: After initial screening for child abuse, the nurse may take the patient’s vital signs. State laws provide guidance to child protective services (CPS) agencies regarding identifying and reporting suspected child maltreatment, investigating to determine whether abuse occurred, and providing necessary services for children and youth and their families.
Option C: Administering pain medications can be done after assessing the patient’s vital signs. Ibuprofen worked at least as well as acetaminophen with codeine for fracture pain control, and had fewer adverse effects. Children given ibuprofen were better able to eat and play than those given acetaminophen with codeine—an important patient-oriented functional outcome.