A community health nurse is providing an educational session on childhood poisoning at a local school. The topic of the discussion is preventive measures to avoid accidental poisoning

Question

The nurse includes instructions that if an accidental poisoning occurs to immediately: 1. Call an ambulance.
2. Call the poison control center.
3. Induce vomiting.
4. Bring the child to the emergency department.

Answer 1

2

Rationale: If a poisoning occurs, the poison control center should be contacted immediately. Vomiting should not be induced if the victim is unconscious or if the substance ingested was a strong corrosive or petroleum product. Bringing the child to the emergency department and call-ing an ambulance would not be the immediate actions because these would delay treatment. The poison control center may advise the mother to bring the child to the emergency department; if this is the case, the mother should call an ambulance.