A 16-year-old child is admitted to the hospital for treatment after a motor vehicle crash. Review
of the child's record reveals that the child is an emancipated minor. What does this mean?
A) The child has the legal right to consent to and make decisions for treatment.
B) The nurse needs to check with the child to determine which parent has custody.
C) A court-appointed guardian is needed to ensure that the child's rights are maintained.
D) The nurse must contact the child's guardian for consent to treatment. - ANS A) The child has
the legal right to consent to and make decisions for treatment.
Emancipation is the process by which an individual becomes liberated from the authority and
control of another person. In pediatric care, this term refers to the emancipation of a child from
the authority and control of parents or other guardians. A minor who is recognized as
emancipated by state-mandated criteria can consent to medical, dental, or psychiatric care
without parental knowledge, consent, or liability.
In 2007 the World Factbook published statistics that showed the United States still lagged
behind other industrialized nations in the incidence of infant mortality. What is one reason that
the United States has a higher infant mortality rate than other countries?
A) Low birth weight
B) Early prenatal care
C) Low adolescent delivery rates
D) Home deliveries - ANS A) Low birth weight
Many factors may be associated with high infant mortality rates and poor health. Low birth
weight and late or nonexistent prenatal care are the main factors in the poor rankings in infant
mortality.
Morbidity rates among children are most highly associated with which cause?
A) Firearms at home
B) School violence
C) Environmental factors
D) Suicide and homicide - ANS C) Environmental factors
, The factors most commonly associated with child morbidity are environmental and
socioeconomic problems. The more difficult the societal issues and the more marked the
environmental poverty, the higher the illness rates and childhood morbidity. Firearms, violence in
schools, homicide, and suicide are all factors in morbidity, but they are not strictly related to
children.
Asian American women have the lowest risk of infant mortality of all cultural groups. Which
statement best explains this phenomena?
A) Asian American women have fewer incidences of hypertension.
B) Asian American women have better access to prenatal care.
C) Asian American women rarely have preterm infants born to them.
D) Asian American women have the lowest incidence of chromosomal anomalies of any cultural
group. - ANS B) Asian American women have better access to prenatal care.
African, Hispanic, and Native Americans have the highest risk of infant mortality because more
than 40% of these populations do not receive any prenatal care. Asian American women are not
less likely to have preterm infants, have fewer chromosomal anomalies or develop hypertension
during pregnancy.
When integrating the principles of family-centered care into the birthing process, the nurse
would base care upon which belief?
A) Birth is viewed as a medical event.
B) Families are unable to make informed choices due to stress.
C) Birth results in changes in relationships.
D) Families require little information to make appropriate decisions for care. - ANS C) Birth
results in changes in relationships.
Family-centered care is based on the following principles: Birth affects the entire family, and
relationships will change; birth is viewed as a normal, healthy event in the life of the family; and
families are capable of making decisions about their own care if given adequate information and
professional support.
To decrease childhood mortality, pediatric nurses need to consistently engage in what activity
throughout all age groups?
A) Teach injury prevention and proper safety practices.
B) Provide guidance regarding proper nutrition.