A nurse is working with a child for whom an out-of-home placement has occurred. What would the nurse anticipate as the child's initial response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The adjustment to an out-of-home placement can be viewed through the conceptual framework of Bowlby's stages of coping with parental separation. According to Bowlby (1960), the child initially responds to separation from parents with protest (crying, kicking, screaming, pleading, and attempting to elicit the parent's return). The child then moves to a state of despair (listlessness, apathy, and withdrawal, which lead to some acceptance of caregiving by others but a reluctance to reattach fully). Finally, the child experiences detachment if he or she and the new parent cannot manage to form an emotional bond.

A Nurse Is Working with a Child for Whom an Out-Of-Home