A nurse wants to assess a chronically ill child's feelings regarding a lengthy hospitalization and treatments.What action by the nurse is best?
A) Ask direct questions of the child as to feelings.
B) Watch the child play on several occasions.
C) Discuss the situation with the parents.
D) Refer the child to the child life specialist for assessment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Play for all children is an activity woven with meaning and purpose.For chronically ill children,play can indicate their state of wellness and response to treatment.It is a way to express joy,fear,anxiety,and disappointments.The nurse can best decipher the child's emotional state by observing this activity.Children often are threatened by direct questions,especially if the questioner is not well known to the child.The nurse may want to discuss the situation with the parents or enlist the help of the child life specialist,but these will not give the nurse the rich data that can be obtained through watching the child play.

A Nurse Wants to Assess a Chronically Ill Child's Feelings