Utilizing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, discuss the concerns of a public health nurse immediately following a large scale natural disaster. Discuss at least four main concerns regarding physiological needs, and two concerns each for safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs. A 3-year-old boy is rushed to the local emergency department after ingesting unknown quantities of medication while visiting his grandparents and cousins. When the child was found in the home by his mother, a multiday pill container is found nearby with four of the seven-day compartments open. In the panic and rush, no one is sure how much the child consumed or what medications were consumed. The little boy is oriented and talking, but drowsy. While waiting for the rescue squad to arrive, a nurse who lives in the neighborhood is consulted and recommends that they give the child 15 mL of syrup of ipecac followed by 240 mL of water. The family locates an old bottle of ipecac given out by their local pediatrician some years ago to “have on hand, just in case,” but the rescue squad arrives before a dose is given. What potential error was prevented by the timely arrival of the rescue squad? Should syrup of ipecac be given for accidental poisonings? Why or why not?
