The nurse is providing care to a 9-year-old client who is awaiting surgery. Which intervention is developmentally appropriate for this client's plan of care?

Question

The nurse is providing care to a 9-year-old client who is awaiting surgery.  Which intervention is developmentally appropriate for this client's plan of care?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Planning care during a pediatric hospitalization requires the nurse to consider the child's stage of psychosocial and cognitive development. For the school-age child (age 6-12 years), developing a sense of industry (ie, confidence in skills and abilities) is a primary psychosocial need, and cognitive development is marked by concrete thinking (ie, based on actual objects or activities). During preprocedural education, the nurse should foster a sense of industry by involving the child in discussions about the procedure, interacting with the child directly, and using correct anatomical terminology. In addition, the use of simple diagrams helps to meet the child's need for concrete learning (Option A). (Option B) A school-age child has a concrete way of thinking and may not think abstractly about the future until adolescence. (Option C) Adolescents are more aware of body image than school-age children. Exploring feelings and concerns regarding the appearance of a surgical scar is not a primary focus. (Option D) Toddlers (age 1-3 years) should receive initial teaching about a procedure immediately before it occurs due to a limited concept of time. School-age children can be prepared in advance of a procedure (eg, a day before), which gives them time to process. Educational objective: During preprocedural education, the nurse should use developmentally appropriate methods of teaching. Using simple diagrams with correct anatomical terminology appropriately meets the psychosocial (ie, sense of industry) and cognitive needs (ie, concrete thinking) of school-aged children.

The Nurse Is Providing Care to a 9-Year-Old Client Who