A mother thinks her 2-year-old child drank drain cleaner. What should the nurse tell the mother to do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first thing the mother should do is call the nearest poison control centre. Parents should have the number for the poison control centre handy. Ipecac syrup should also be in the home; however, the poison control center must be contacted before administration of ipecac syrup. Depending on the substance ingested?and especially for caustic agents?it is frequently contraindicated to induce vomiting. Time is of the essence, hence calling the on-call pediatrician and waiting for a response is not appropriate. Neither is passively waiting to see if the child will vomit.

A Mother Thinks Her 2-Year-Old Child Drank Drain Cleaner