A nurse is teaching a parent about car seat safety for their… | MyMerci
Health Promotion and MaintenanceHPM
Question
A nurse is teaching a parent about car seat safety for their 9-month-old infant who weighs 9 kg (20 lb). The parent plans to use a rear-facing car seat with a rear-facing weight limit of 18 kg (40 lb). Which instruction should the nurse include?
1Place the car seat in the front passenger seat for easier monitoring.
2Turn the seat forward-facing once the infant reaches 12 months of age.
3Keep the infant rear-facing in the back seat until the seat's weight limit is reached.✓ Correct answer
4Use a booster seat when the infant outgrows the rear-facing car seat.
Explanation
The infant should remain rear-facing in the back seat until the manufacturer's rear-facing weight limit (18 kg) is reached, as this provides optimal protection for the head, neck, and spine. Placing a rear-facing seat in the front passenger seat is dangerous because of the active air bag. Turning the seat forward-facing at 12 months disregards the higher weight limit of this seat. A booster seat is not appropriate for an infant; it is used for older children who have outgrown forward-facing seats.