In caring for a 6-year-old who entered the emergency center for treatment of a broken arm, the nurse noted that the child had multiple bruises on his trunk and legs
When questioned, the child said his father hit him and broke his arm so that the child would remember to be good. What should the nurse do? 1. Chart that the child is a victim of child abuse, so that there is a record of the abuse should such behavior reoccur.
2. Downplay the child's comments, because children often exaggerate.
3. Do nothing, because the nurse cannot prove the child was really abused, and saying anything could open the institution to a possible defamation lawsuit.
4. Report the incident immediately to the nursing supervisor or physician so that the incident will be reported to the proper authorities.
4
Rationale: Mandated by law, nurses and other health care professionals must report suspected abuse. It is not the nurse's role to pass judgment that abuse exists, but to report suspicions. The nurse must take all statements seriously regardless of the age of the patient. Doing nothing is a violation of child abuse protection laws.
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