care of the hospitalized child Flashcards
hospitalized children experience 4 significant stressors, what are they?
- separation from parents, caregivers, peers
- loss of control, privacy, autonomy
- painful/invasive procedures
- fear of bodily injury and disfigurement
nursing care of hospitalized children focuses on
- minimizing childs fears, anxieties, disruption of their routine, and support family
- minimize separation anxiety, loss of control, pain and address any fears
what are some common fears of hospitalized infants
- separation from primary caregivers
- stranger anxiety
- pain
- parental anxiety, which is passed on to the infant
- anxiety due to either a lack of stimulation or over stimulation
what are some ways to help with common fears with hospitalized infants
- soft music
- use of pacifier
- encourage parental involvement/holding
- provide medical explanations to parent
- calming touch
- feeding/burping
- change diaper
describe separation anxiety
- develops about 6 months of age
- may feel anxious when in contact with strangers (stranger anxiety)
- three stages
what are the three stages of separation anxiety and describe them
protest: screaming, crying, clinging to parents, may resist attempts by other adults to hold them
despair: RED FLAG; sadness, quiet, withdrawal, stop protesting, lots of crying when parent returns
denial or detachment: lack of protest when parents leave, the appearance of happiness and contentness, trust is broken in primary caregiver
when does stranger anxiety usually occur
6-18 months
what age group is most at risk for a stressful experience with hospitalization
toddlers
old enough to understand that their routine has been disrupted but dont understand why
what are some major stressors and common fears for toddlers during hospitalization
- separation from parents
- change in routine
- fear of pain, invasive procedures/mutilation, change
- afraid of the dark, strangers, “monsters”
- loss of physical and emotional control
- needles
what are some ways to help toddlers with major stressors/common fears and concerns
- provide choices
- comfort items
- distraction
- encourage play
- keep to home routine as much as possible
- parental presence
- regression is uaully temporary to cope, do not punish
what are some ways to minimize separation anxiety
- allow child to cry
- parent avoid sneaking out
- explain when parent will return
- familiar surroundings
- maintain usual routines
- consistent caregiver
what are some common fears/stressors for hospitalized preschoolers
- may feel guilty about being sick
- may view illness/hospitalization as punishment
- may regress in development
- fears of being alone, in the dark, abandonment, loss of control, pain
- fear of the unknown
what are some ways to help with common fears/stressors for hospitalized preschoolers
- provide choice
- participation in procedure
- comfort object
- distraction
- assure procedure is NOT punishment -> active imagination
what are some common fears for hospitalized school aged children
- loss of body function
- loss of control
- privacy issues
- fear of bodily injury, pain, concerns related to death
- separation from family and friends
what are some ways to help with common fears for hospitalized school aged children
- full explanation/preparation (use five senses)
- allow child to ask questions and answer honestly
- participation in procedure
- encourage play and normalcy
- create opportunities for self expression