NCLEX-RNHealth Promotion and MaintenanceHard
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parents of a 1-year-old child about appropriate safety measures. The parents live in an older home built before 1978. Which of the following instructions should the nurse prioritize?
- AHave the home tested for lead-based paint and dust.
- BInstall safety gates at the top and bottom of all staircases.
- CEnsure all electrical outlets are covered with safety caps.
- DStore all cleaning products and medications in locked cabinets.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Have the home tested for lead-based paint and dust.
Homes built before 1978 are at high risk for containing lead-based paint. Young children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning from ingesting paint chips or lead dust, which can cause severe, irreversible developmental and neurological damage. While all options are important, lead exposure poses a unique and profound long-term health threat, making testing and remediation a priority.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Safety gates are crucial for preventing falls, but falls, while serious, typically do not cause the same type of irreversible neurodevelopmental damage as lead poisoning.
- C. Outlet covers are important for electrical safety but do not address the unique, severe, and irreversible threat of lead poisoning specific to older homes.
- D. Locked cabinets for poisons are essential, but this is a general safety measure. The question specifies an older home, highlighting the unique risk of lead-based paint that is not addressed by general poison control.
Lead Poisoning Prevention
Measures to prevent exposure to lead, especially in children, due to its severe neurotoxic effects.
- Homes built before 1978 are high risk for lead paint.
- Children absorb lead more readily and are more vulnerable.
- Lead can cause irreversible neurological damage.
Memory trick: Lead Lurks, Kids Learn, Test First!