A school nurse is helping emergency medical services (EMS) triage students after a bus accident occurred in the school parking lot. A 10-year-old client is awake, alert, and ambulatory but reports a headache and neck pain. Using START triage, what acuity level would be assigned to this client?

Choice A reason: The person granted power of attorney for healthcare would be responsible for signing the informed consent only if the client is unable to make decisions for themselves due to incompetence or incapacity. Since the client in this scenario is competent and neurologically intact, the power of attorney is not applicable.

Choice B reason: The client's emergency contact is not authorized to sign informed consent unless they hold legal power of attorney or the client is incapacitated and unable to make decisions. The emergency contact's primary role is to be contacted in emergency situations, not to make medical decisions on behalf of the client.

Choice C reason: The legal next of kin would only be responsible for signing the informed consent if the client is not capable of doing so themselves. In this case, the client is competent and neurologically intact, so the next of kin's consent is not needed.

Choice D reason: The client is responsible for signing the informed consent because they are competent and capable of making their own medical decisions. Informed consent must be obtained from the client directly when they have the capacity to understand and agree to the proposed treatment or procedure.

Choice A reason: Veracity is the principle of truthfulness and honesty. It involves providing accurate information to clients and being truthful in communication. While important in healthcare, veracity does not specifically address the nurse's failure to ensure the client's safety after administering a narcotic.

Choice B reason: Autonomy refers to respecting the client's right to make their own decisions about their care. While autonomy is a fundamental ethical principle, the scenario involves the nurse's responsibility to ensure safety, which falls under a different principle.

Choice C reason: Beneficence is the principle of acting in the best interest of the client by promoting good and preventing harm. Although related to the scenario, beneficence focuses more on the proactive aspect of providing care rather than preventing harm resulting from inaction.

Choice D reason: Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle of "do no harm." The nurse violated this principle by discharging the client without ensuring they had a designated driver, leading to a motor vehicle collision and injuries. The nurse's action indirectly caused harm, violating the principle of nonmaleficence.