A 38-year-old female presents to urgent care. She has a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old child with her. She is frightened and badly bruised. "He'll kill us all if he knows we came here," she screams. What is the nurse's best response?

A. Bring her and her children to a room immediately This is a safety-first response. The woman is frightened and possibly in immediate danger. Moving her and the children to a private area provides physical and emotional safety and allows the nurse to continue assessment confidentially. B. Ask her please not to scream-she is alarming the other patients This is inappropriate and dismissive. Her distress signals potential abuse or trauma; silencing her prioritizes others’ comfort over her safety. C. Ask, "Who will kill you?" Although assessing threat is important, immediate safety must be ensured first before probing for more details. D. Ask her to sit for a moment while you contact someone who can provide safety for her Delaying action may increase the risk to her and her children. Immediate removal to a safe space is more appropriate.