Author Question: A 4-and-a-half-year-old is crying from pain related to her fractured leg. Which of the following is ... (Read 31 times)

james0929 · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

A 4-and-a-half-year-old is crying from pain related to her fractured leg. Which of the following is the most appropriate nursing response to her alteration in comfort?

a. Please try to not move your leg. That will make it feel better.
b. I'll give you a shot that will help take the pain away.
c. It's okay to cry. I'll get you something to make you feel better. Would you like to hold your favourite doll?
d. Would you like to hold this needle and tell me where you want me to give you your shot?

Question 2

The parents of a 15-month-old child express concern to the nurse about their child's thumb-sucking habit.

Which of these explanations related to the child's age and developmental level would be most appropriate for the nurse to give the parents? a. Thumb sucking at this age indicates a developmental delay and should be further assessed.
b. Sucking achieves a pleasing result for infants, and generalizing that action by thumb sucking is normal.
c. Thumb sucking at this age demonstrates a transition away from egocentric thinking.
d. At this age, thumb sucking will enhance language development.

vickybb89 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

C
The response by the nurse, It's okay to cry. I'll get you something to make you feel better. Would you like to hold your favourite doll? informs the child what is okay for him or her to do, and involves an age-appropriate familiar toy to provide comfort. Play is also an excellent way for preschoolers to vent frustration or anger and is a socially acceptable way to deal with stress.
Telling the child not to move when in pain is unlikely to be effective. A preschool child may have difficulty understanding the request.
Telling the child he or she is going to get a shot may increase the anxiety, as the child fears bodily harm.
It would not be appropriate to allow the child to hold a needle. Instead, the child could hold a cotton ball or bandage, or manipulate play medical equipment. If the child is allowed to deter-mine the site for administration of an injection, specific sites should be offered as choices. How-ever, the nurse must avoid allowing procrastination by the child.

Answer to Question 2

B
Action patterns are used by infants and toddlers to deal with the environment. For example, the infant who learns that sucking achieves a pleasing result generalizes that action to suck fingers, blankets, or clothing. Children remain egocentric into the preoperational period. Thumb sucking does not indicate transition away from egocentric thinking. No statements have supported thumb sucking as enhancing language development.