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Zorluk: KolayLegal and Ethical Practice

A practical nurse (PN) is working in a community pediatric clinic and is assisting with the physical examination of a 3-year-old child. During the data collection, the PN observes multiple bruise marks in various stages of healing on the child's back and torso. Which of the following actions is legally required of the PN?

  1. Document the findings and report the suspected abuse to the appropriate protective agency or facility authority immediately.Cevap
  2. B
    Wait to see if new injuries appear at the next scheduled appointment before filing a formal report.
  3. C
    Question the parents aggressively to obtain a concrete admission of guilt before notifying any authorities.
  4. D
    Delegate a full skin assessment to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to confirm the extent of the injuries.

Cevap

Document the findings and report the suspected abuse to the appropriate protective agency or facility authority immediately.
As mandated reporters, practical nurses are legally required to immediately report any suspected child abuse to the appropriate state protective agency or designated facility authority. Only a suspicion is required to trigger this mandate; nurses do not need to prove the abuse occurred.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the clinical finding.
The child has unexplained bruises in various stages of healing in non-prominent areas (back and torso).
Recognizing physical signs that may indicate abuse is the first step in protecting vulnerable clients.
2
Determine the PN's legal obligation regarding suspected abuse.
The PN is legally recognized as a mandated reporter.
All licensed nurses must legally report any suspicion of child abuse to the proper authorities to initiate an official investigation and ensure safety.
3
Select the option that fulfills this legal mandate without overstepping the scope of practice.
Reporting the suspicion immediately is the correct and legally required action.
Delaying the report, investigating the parents personally, or delegating the assessment violates legal and ethical nursing standards.

Anahtar Kavram

Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Abuse
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