Deck 6: Communication and Health Assessment of the Child and Family

Question 1

Which of the following is an important consideration for the nurse who is communicating with a very young child?

A)Speak loudly, clearly, and directly.
B)Use transition objects, such as a doll.
C)Disguise own feelings, attitudes, and anxiety.
D)Initiate contact with child when parent is not present.

Answer 1

Use transition objects, such as a doll.

Question 2

The nurse is interviewing the mother of an infant. She reports, "I had a difficult delivery, and my baby was born prematurely." This information should be recorded under which of the following headings?

A)Past history
B)Present illness
C)Chief complaint
D)Review of systems

Answer 2

Past history

Question 3

Which of the following is considered a block to effective communication?

A)Using silence
B)Using clichés
C)Directing the focus
D)Defining the problem

Answer 3

Using clichés

Question 4

The nurse is doing a health history on a child. At the beginning of the interview, the parent says, "I brought him here because he always has diarrhea." This should be recorded under which of the following headings?

A)History
B)Chief complaint
C)Review of systems
D)Nutritional assessment

Question 5

The nurse is having difficulty communicating with a hospitalized 6-year-old child. What technique might be most helpful?

A)Suggest that the child keep a diary.
B)Suggest that the parent read fairy tales to the child.
C)Ask the parent if the child is always uncommunicative.
D)Ask the child to draw a picture.

Question 6

Which of the following approaches would be best to use to ensure a positive response from a toddler?

A)Assume an eye-level position and talk quietly.
B)Call the toddler's name while picking him or her up.
C)Call the toddler's name and say, "I'm your nurse."
D)Stand by the toddler, addressing him or her by name.

Question 7

The nurse must assess 10-month-old Chad. He is sitting on his father's lap and appears to be afraid of the nurse and of what might happen next. Which of the following initial actions by the nurse would be most appropriate?

A)Initiate a game of peek-a-boo.
B)Ask father to place Chad on the exam table.
C)Undress Chad while he is still sitting on his father's lap.
D)Talk softly to Chad while taking him from his father.

Question 8

Which of the following is most likely to encourage parents to talk about their feelings related to their child's illness?

A)Be sympathetic.
B)Use direct questions.
C)Use open-ended questions.
D)Avoid periods of silence.

Question 9

What is the single most important factor to consider when communicating with children?

A)The child's physical condition
B)Presence or absence of the child's parent
C)Developmental level of the child
D)Nonverbal behaviors of the child

Question 10

The nurse is meeting a 5-year-old child for the first time and would like the child to cooperate during a dressing change. The nurse decides to do a simple magic trick by using gauze. This should be interpreted as which of the following?

A)Inappropriate, because of child's age
B)A way to establish rapport
C)Too distracting, when cooperation is important
D)Acceptable, if there is adequate time

Question 11

Where in the health history does a record of immunizations belong?

A)Past history
B)Present illness
C)Review of systems
D)Physical assessment

Question 12

Which of the following data would be included in a health history?

A)Review of systems
B)Physical assessment
C)Recording of vital signs
D)Growth measurements

Question 13

The nurse is taking a health history on an adolescent. Which of the following best describes how the chief complaint should be determined?

A)Ask for detailed listing of symptoms.
B)Ask adolescent, "Why did you come here today?"
C)Use what adolescent says to determine, in correct medical terminology, what the problem is.
D)Interview parent away from adolescent to determine chief complaint.

Question 14

The nurse's approach, when introducing hospital equipment to a preschooler who seems afraid, should be based on which of the following principles?

A)The child may think the equipment is alive.
B)The child is too young to understand what the equipment does.
C)Explaining the equipment will only increase the child's fear.
D)One brief explanation will be enough to reduce the child's fear.

Question 15

Because children younger than 5 years are egocentric, the nurse should do which of the following when communicating with young children?

A)Focus communication on child.
B)Explain experiences of others to child.
C)Use easy analogies when possible.
D)Assure child that communication is private.

Question 16

Where in the health history should the nurse describe all details related to the chief complaint?

A)Past history
B)Chief complaint
C)Present illness
D)Review of systems

Question 17

When the nurse interviews an adolescent, which of the following is especially important?

A)Focus the discussion on the peer group.
B)Allow an opportunity to express feelings.
C)Emphasize that confidentiality will always be maintained.
D)Use the same type of language as the adolescent.

Question 18

The nurse is seeing an adolescent boy and his parents in the clinic for the first time. Which of the following should the nurse do first?

A)Introduce self.
B)Make family comfortable.
C)Explain purpose of interview.
D)Give assurance of privacy.

Question 19

Which age group is most concerned with body integrity?

A)Toddler
B)Preschooler
C)School-age child
D)Adolescent

Question 20

An 8-year-old girl asks the nurse how the blood-pressure apparatus works. The most appropriate nursing action is which of the following?

A)Ask her why she wants to know.
B)Determine why she is so anxious.
C)Explain in simple terms how it works.
D)Tell her she will see how it works as it is used.

Question 21

When doing a nutritional assessment on a Hispanic family, the nurse learns that their diet consists mainly of vegetables, legumes, and starches. The nurse should recognize that this diet:

A)Indicates they live in poverty.
B)Is very lacking in protein.
C)May provide sufficient amino acids.
D)Should be enriched with meat and milk.

Question 22

The nurse is taking a sexual history on an adolescent girl. Which of the following is the best way to determine whether she is sexually active?

A)Ask her, "Are you sexually active?"
B)Ask her, "Are you having sex with anyone?"
C)Ask her, "Are you having sex with a boyfriend?"
D)Ask both the girl and her parent if she is sexually active.

Question 23

Which of the following parameters correlates best with measurements of the body's total protein stores?

A)Height
B)Weight
C)Skin-fold thickness
D)Upper arm circumference

Question 24

When interviewing the mother of a 3-year-old child, the nurse asks about developmental milestones such as the age of walking without assistance. This should be considered:

A)Unnecessary information because child is age 3 years.
B)An important part of the family history.
C)An important part of the child's past history.
D)An important part of the child's review of systems.