Question
A 4-month-old infant presents to the clinic for a well visit. The nurse completes an assessment and notes bruising around both upper arms. The accompanying parent explained that the bruising is from the infant’s accidental roll off the bed. The nurse suspects that the infant may be suffering abuse. Which is the nurse’s most appropriate action?
Ask the parent how they copes if the infant becomes fussy.
Assess the parent for a history of being abused as a child.
Notify child protective services of the assessment findings.
Show the parent ways to handle the infant to avoid bruising.
Ask the parent how they copes if the infant becomes fussy.
Assess the parent for a history of being abused as a child.
Notify child protective services of the assessment findings.
Show the parent ways to handle the infant to avoid bruising.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In this scenario, the presence of bruising on a 4-month-old infant that may not correlate with the explanation provided raises concerns about potential child abuse. The most appropriate action for the nurse is to **notify child protective services of the assessment findings**.
It is crucial for medical professionals to take suspicions of abuse seriously, especially in an infant who cannot communicate or protect themselves. Reporting to child protective services allows for a proper investigation and protection for the child. The other options do not directly address the possible risk of abuse in a timely manner.
It is crucial for medical professionals to take suspicions of abuse seriously, especially in an infant who cannot communicate or protect themselves. Reporting to child protective services allows for a proper investigation and protection for the child. The other options do not directly address the possible risk of abuse in a timely manner.