Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyEthical Practice

An emergency department nurse is caring for a 4-year-old client who presents with a spiral fracture of the right humerus. The caregiver states the child simply tripped over a small toy, but the nurse recognizes that this mechanism of injury is highly inconsistent with the severity of the fracture. Which of the following is the priority ethical and legal nursing action?

  1. Notify the designated local child protective services agency about the suspected non-accidental trauma.Answer
  2. B
    Confront the caregiver directly and demand to know the true cause of the child's fracture.
  3. C
    Document the physical findings objectively and discharge the client if vital signs remain stable.
  4. D
    Leave the room immediately to rapidly triage other clients waiting in the emergency department.

Answer

Notify the designated local child protective services agency about the suspected non-accidental trauma.
The correct action demonstrates the core ethical principles of beneficence (doing good) and advocacy. When a child presents with an injury that is highly inconsistent with the given history, the nurse must act on the suspicion of abuse. All nurses are legally designated as mandatory reporters and are required to notify child protective services to ensure the safety of the vulnerable client.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the discrepancy between the physical injury and the caregiver's explanation.
Recognition that a spiral fracture is highly suspicious for abuse when the reported cause is a simple fall.
Nurses must critically evaluate physical assessment findings against the provided history to protect vulnerable populations.
2
Recall the ethical principle of beneficence and the nurse's role as a mandatory reporter.
Determination that taking action to protect the child is legally and ethically required.
Ethical nursing practice mandates advocating for clients who cannot advocate for themselves.
3
Select the safest and most legally sound intervention.
Choosing to notify the appropriate state or local protective agency.
This action initiates a professional investigation to ensure safety without directly antagonizing the suspected abuser.

Key Concept

Mandatory Reporting and Advocacy
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Ethical Practice

More questions from this topic