Question

A toddler client diagnosed with autism is admitted to the pediatric unit with a tracheostomy after swallowing a small toy. The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) reports to the nurse that the child does not respond to questions. Which response by the nurse is best?

a. "The child is probably frightened due to the hospital environment."
b. "Ok, I will perform a detailed neurological assessment on the client."
c. "Thank you for reporting, I will investigate the observation further."
d. "The inability to respond to questions is a characteristic of autism."

Answer 1

The best response by the nurse would be to acknowledge the observation and commit to further investigation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response by the nurse in this situation would be option c. "Thank you for reporting, I will investigate the observation further."

This response acknowledges the UAP's observation and shows that the nurse takes their input seriously. It also demonstrates the nurse's commitment to further investigating the child's lack of response to questions, which is important for appropriate patient care.