Question

The nurse visits the family with three small children who live in a three bedroom home built in 1952. The nurse counsels the family how to avoid lead poisoning. The nurse determines the teaching is effective if the parent makes which statement?

a. "I plan to scrape paint off the walls after the children go to bed tonight."
b. "My children eat meals whenever they are hungry."
c. "I wet mop all my floors and wash all of the windowsills weekly."
d. "I'm going to leave that patch of dirt uncovered so the children will have somewhere to dig."

Answer 1

The teaching is considered effective if the parent says they wet mop floors and wash windowsills weekly, as this practice helps to minimize lead dust exposure which can stem from lead-based paint in older homes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse determines that the teaching on how to avoid lead poisoning is effective if the parent makes the statement: "I wet mop all my floors and wash all of the windowsills weekly." This is an effective method to reduce lead dust in the home, which is important in a house built in 1952, potentially with lead-based paint. Scraping paint can release more lead dust, especially if done without proper precautions, and irregular meal times do not directly prevent lead exposure. Keeping dirt covered is also necessary because lead particles may contaminate the soil around older homes.

Parents should take further actions as well, such as employing lead-safe certified professionals for any future renovations, ensuring frequent handwashing for children, and providing them with a balanced diet rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin C to help reduce lead absorption. These preventive measures are particularly crucial in homes built prior to 1978, when lead-based paints were commonly used.