Management of CareQuestion 1943 of 2368
A 16-year-old asks the nurse for treatment of a suspected sexually transmitted infection and does not want the parents told. What should the nurse do first?
- Refuse care because minors can never legally consent to their own treatment
- Check state law, because exceptions to parental consent often exist for this care
- Call the parents to obtain consent before any care is given to the client
- Tell the client that treatment must wait until the client reaches age 18
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Correct answer: Check state law, because exceptions to parental consent often exist for this care
Parental consent is usually needed for minors, but exceptions often exist for STI care, pregnancy, and contraceptives. State laws vary.
Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Reproductive Concepts: Adolescent Reproductive Health. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Management of Care"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026