NCLEX-RNHealth Promotion and MaintenanceMedium
A nurse is providing health teaching to the parents of a 10-month-old infant regarding appropriate injury prevention. Which statement by the parents indicates a need for further teaching?
- A“We let our baby sit in the bath alone for a minute while we grab a towel.”
- B“We always make sure to keep the crib mattress on the lowest setting.”
- C“All of our electrical outlets have safety covers on them.”
- D“We’ve installed gates at the top and bottom of our stairs.”
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. “We let our baby sit in the bath alone for a minute while we grab a towel.”
Even for a brief moment, leaving an infant unattended in a bathtub poses a significant drowning risk. Infants can drown in a very small amount of water quickly and silently.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Keeping the crib mattress on the lowest setting prevents the infant from climbing out, which is appropriate for a 10-month-old.
- C. Outlet covers prevent electrical shocks and are an important safety measure for crawling infants.
- D. Stair gates are essential for preventing falls in mobile infants and toddlers.
Infant Drowning Prevention
Never leave an infant or young child unsupervised in or near water, even for a moment, due to the high risk of silent drowning.
- Drowning can occur in as little as 1-2 inches of water.
- It happens quickly and often silently.
- Constant supervision is paramount during bathing.
Memory trick: Safe Baby, Happy Home, Always Supervise.