Question

The nurse is describing to a mother how to remove a tick from her 6-year-old boy's arm. Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Protect the fingers with a paper towel.
B) Grasp the tick and pull it away quickly.
C) Put the tick in a plastic bag in the freezer.
D) Grasp the tick close to the child's skin.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement about tick removal advice is to "Grasp the tick and pull it away quickly," which goes against proper removal techniques that require using blunt tweezers and pulling gently to prevent infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

The incorrect statement in the nurse's advice on how to remove a tick is, "Grasp the tick and pull it away quickly." This method could lead to parts of the tick being left in the skin and could increase the risk of infection. Instead, one should use blunt tweezers to gently pull near the site of attachment, ensuring not to crush the tick's body. After removal, the tick should be disposed of by freezing or drowning in alcohol, not by quick pulling, chemical methods, heat, or squeezing with fingers or tweezers. Additionally, it's important to disinfect the area of the bite with an antiseptic and monitor for signs of infection.