The school nurse is called to the school parking lot, where one of the children is hit by a slow moving motor vehicle in the school parking lot. The school nurse finds the child on the ground in the parking lot not moving extremities, looking dazed, but responding to questions. What is a priority nursing action?

The school nurse is called to the school parking lot, where one of the children is hit by a slow moving motor vehicle in the school parking lot. The school nurse finds the child on the ground in the parking lot not moving extremities, looking dazed, but responding to questions. What is a priority nursing action?


1. Ask the child to move the lower extremities.
2. Have another person assist with moving the child to the school clinic.
3. Talk soothingly with the child while completing a focused assessment.
4. Have someone call the EMS system.


Answer: 4

It is important and the main priority for a traumatic injury, such as a pedestrian and motor vehicle accident, that the child not be moved until the EMS team arrives with proper equipment to stabilize the spinal cord to prevent further injury. The child needs immediate attention and further assessment to rule out spinal cord injury at a hospital. Talking soothingly to the child and continuing a focused assessment are nursing actions that would be performed after activation of EMS.


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