A 10-year-old child with a cognitive disability is brought to the emergency department by a caregiver. The child has an actively bleeding scalp laceration, and the nurse observes patterned, defensive bruising on the child's forearms. The caregiver's explanation of the injuries is inconsistent with the physical findings. Arrange the following nursing actions in the correct order of priority from first to last.
- 1Apply direct pressure to the actively bleeding scalp laceration.
- 2Separate the caregiver from the child using a facility-approved protocol.
- 3Complete a full physical assessment and interview the child privately.
- 4Document the objective characteristics of the wounds and the child's exact statements.
- 5Report the suspected child abuse to the designated local child protective services agency.
Cevap
The correct sequence prioritizes physiological stability, then immediate safety, followed by assessment, factual documentation, and finally mandatory reporting.
Nursing prioritization follows a strict clinical hierarchy: physiological needs (circulation and bleeding control) must be addressed first, followed immediately by physical safety (separating the suspected abuser). Once the client is medically stabilized and safe, the nurse can conduct a thorough, uncoerced assessment. Objective documentation of these findings must precede external reporting to ensure accurate and factual information is provided to child protective services.
Adım Adım Çözüm
Anahtar Kavram
Prioritization of Care in Suspected Abuse