A 12-year-old child with Down syndrome is admitted to the hospital for surgical correction of a heart defect.The boy's mental age is that of a 3-year-old child.The nurse should prepare the child and family for surgery by what method?
A) Extend preoperative teaching over several days.
B) Explain the surgery to the child and the parents in detail.
C) Exclude the child from preoperative teaching; teach only the parents.
D) Provide teaching to the parents, keeping the information to the child simple.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Important factors to consider in planning preparation strategies before cardiac surgery are the child's cognitive developmental level,previous hospital experiences,temperament and coping style,the timing of the preparation,and the involvement of the parents.The teaching should be provided to the parents,keeping the information simple to the child with a mental age of 3 years old.

A 12-Year-Old Child with Down Syndrome Is Admitted to the Hospital