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Question

Difficulty: MediumHealth Screening

A registered nurse in a family health practice is prioritizing interventions for a group of pediatric clients. The nurse's current objective is to identify and implement secondary prevention measures. Which of the following clinical activities accurately represents a secondary prevention strategy?

  1. Drawing a capillary blood sample from a 12-month-old infant to evaluate for lead toxicityAnswer
  2. B
    Administering the first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to a 15-month-old child
  3. C
    Educating the parents of a 2-year-old child about securing heavy furniture and installing window guards
  4. D
    Coordinating with a physical therapist to manage muscle spasticity in a 4-year-old child diagnosed with cerebral palsy

Answer

Drawing a capillary blood sample from a 12-month-old infant to evaluate for lead toxicity represents a secondary prevention strategy.
Secondary prevention involves the early detection and treatment of a disease or condition in individuals who are typically asymptomatic. Performing a screening test, such as evaluating a 12-month-old infant for lead toxicity, is designed to identify elevated lead levels early, before severe neurological damage occurs. This perfectly aligns with the principles of secondary health screening.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stem to identify the core task.
The nurse needs to select an activity that classifies as secondary prevention.
Understanding the definitions of prevention levels is necessary to categorize each option correctly.
2
Define the levels of prevention.
Primary = preventing disease/injury before it occurs; Secondary = early detection and screening of asymptomatic conditions; Tertiary = managing and rehabilitating an existing diagnosed condition.
Provides the framework for evaluating the distractors.
3
Evaluate each option against the definitions.
Lead screening is early detection (secondary). Vaccination is prevention (primary). Safety education is prevention (primary). Cerebral palsy therapy is rehabilitation (tertiary).
Ensures accurate identification of the correct prevention level for each clinical activity.

Key Concept

Levels of Disease Prevention in Health Screening
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Topics

Health Screening

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