The nurse on a pediatric unit observes a distraught mother in the hallway scolding her 3-year- old son for wetting his pants. What initial action should the nurse take?

A. Provide disposable training pants while calming the mother: This option addresses the immediate need to provide comfort and support to the child and mother. Offering disposable training pants can help manage the situation while the nurse addresses the mother's distress and educates her about age-appropriate toilet training expectations. B. Refer the mother to a community parent education program: While parent education programs can be beneficial, they are not the initial action needed in this situation, which requires immediate intervention to support the child and mother. C. Suggest that the mother consult a pediatric nephrologist: Referring the mother to a pediatric nephrologist may not be necessary at this point, as wetting accidents are common in young children during the toilet training process. The nurse should first address the immediate emotional needs of the child and mother. D. Inform the mother that toilet training is slower for boys: While it's true that toilet training can vary in timing for different children, simply providing this information to the mother may not be sufficient in addressing the distressing situation at hand.