An adolescent has just been brought to the emergency department with a spinal cord injury and paralysis from a diving accident. The parents keep asking the nurse, "How bad is it?" The nurse's response should be based on which knowledge?
a. Families adjust better to life-threatening injuries when information is given over time.
b. Immediate loss of function is indicative of the long-term consequences of the injury.
c. Extent and severity of damage cannot be determined for several weeks or even months.
d. Numerous diagnostic tests will be done immediately to determine extent and severity of damage.
ANS: C
The extent and severity of damage cannot be determined initially. The immediate loss of function is caused by anatomic and impaired physiologic function, and improvement may not be evident for weeks or months. It is essential to provide information about the adolescent's status to the parents. Immediate treatment information should be provided. Long-term rehabilitation and prognosis can be addressed after the child is stabilized. During the immediate postinjury period, physiologic responses to the injury make an accurate assessment of damage difficult.
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