The nurse notes that a chronically ill child has not been seeing the health care provider for several months, although monthly checkups and blood work are needed to help maintain the illness. What should the nurse realize as a reason for the child missing appointments?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Most parents of a chronically ill child adhere well to instructions and keep health care appointments consistently. Sometimes, however, parents do not follow this pattern. This inability to adhere usually is related to their stage of adjustment to the illness. As long as denial, anger, bargaining, or depression is functioning, coming in for health care or evaluation is viewed as a major demand. Each visit is more of a reminder of the child's illness than a time of reassuring health assessment. This behavior does not indicate that the parents are too busy. There is no enough information to determine if the visits are cost prohibitive for the family. There is no enough information to determine if the child is afraid of having blood tests performed.

The Nurse Notes That a Chronically Ill Child Has Not