Chapter 4 - Communication and Physical Assessment of the Child and Family Flashcards
The nurse is seeing an adolescent and the parents in the clinic for the first time. Which should the nurse do first?
a. Introduce him- or herself.
b. Make the family comfortable.
c. Give assurance of privacy.
d. Explain the purpose of the interview
a. Introduce him- or herself.
The first thing that nurses must do is to introduce themselves to the patient and family. Parents
and other adults should be addressed with appropriate titles unless they specify a preferred name. Clarification of the purpose of the interview and the nurses role is the second thing that should be done. During the initial part of the interview, the nurse should include general conversation to help make the family feel at ease. The interview also should take place in an environment as free of distraction as possible. In addition, the nurse should clarify which information will be shared with other members of the health care team and any limits to the confidentiality.
Which is considered a block to effective communication?
a. Using silence
b. Using clichs
c. Directing the focus
d. Defining the problem
b. Using clichs
Using stereotyped comments or clichs can block effective communication. After the nurse uses such trite phrases, parents often do not respond. Silence can be an effective interviewing tool. Silence permits the interviewee to sort out thoughts and feelings and search for responses to
questions. To be effective, the nurse must be able to direct the focus of the interview while allowing maximum freedom of expression. By using open-ended questions and guiding
questions, the nurse can obtain the necessary information and maintain a relationship with the family. The nurse and parent must collaborate and define the problem that will be the focus of the nursing intervention.
Which is the single most important factor to consider when communicating with children?
a. Presence of the childs parent
b. Childs physical condition
c. Childs developmental level
d. Childs nonverbal behaviors
c. Childs developmental level
The nurse must be aware of the childs developmental stage to engage in effective communication. The use of both verbal and nonverbal communication should be appropriate to
the developmental level. Nonverbal behaviors vary in importance based on the child developmental level and physical condition. Although the childs physical condition is a
consideration, developmental level is much more important. The presence of parents is important when communicating with young children but may be detrimental when speaking with adolescents.
Because children younger than 5 years are egocentric, the nurse should do which when communicating with them?
a. Focus communication on the child.
b. Use easy analogies when possible.
c. Explain experiences of others to the child.
d. Assure the child that communication is private.
a. Focus communication on the child.
Because children of this age are able to see things only in terms of themselves, the best approach is to focus communication directly on them. Children should be provided with information about what they can do and how they will feel. With children who are egocentric, analogies,
experiences, and assurances that communication is private will not be effective because the child is not capable of understanding.
The nurses approach when introducing hospital equipment to a preschooler who seems afraid should be based on which principle?
a. The child may think the equipment is alive.
b. Explaining the equipment will only increase the childs fear.
c. One brief explanation will be enough to reduce the childs fear.
d. The child is too young to understand what the equipment does.
a. The child may think the equipment is alive.
Young children attribute human characteristics to inanimate objects. They often fear that the objects may jump, bite, cut, or pinch all by themselves without human direction. Equipment should be kept out of sight until needed. Simple, concrete explanations about what the equipment
does and how it will feel will help alleviate the childs fear. Preschoolers need repeated explanations as reassurance.
When the nurse interviews an adolescent, which is especially important?
a. Focus the discussion on the peer group.
b. Allow an opportunity to express feelings.
c. Use the same type of language as the adolescent.
d. Emphasize that confidentiality will always be maintained
b. Allow an opportunity to express feelings.
Adolescents, like all children, need opportunities to express their feelings. Often they interject feelings into their words. The nurse must be alert to the words and feelings expressed. The nurse should maintain a professional relationship with adolescents. To avoid misunderstanding or
misinterpretation of words and phrases used, the nurse should clarify the terms used, what information will be shared with other members of the health care team, and any limits to confidentiality. Although the peer group is important to this age group, the interview should focus on the adolescent.
The nurse is preparing to assess a 10-month-old infant. He is sitting on his fathers lap and appears to be afraid of the nurse and of what might happen next. Which initial actions by the nurse should be most appropriate?
a. Initiate a game of peek-a-boo.
b. Ask the infants father to place the infant on the examination table.
c. Talk softly to the infant while taking him from his father.
d. Undress the infant while he is still sitting on his fathers lap
a. Initiate a game of peek-a-boo.
Peek-a-boo is an excellent means of initiating communication with infants while maintaining a
safe, nonthreatening distance. The child will most likely become upset if separated from his father. As much of the assessment as possible should be done with the child on the fathers lap. The nurse should have the father undress the child as needed during the examination.
An 8-year-old girl asks the nurse how the blood pressure apparatus works. The most appropriate nursing action is which?
a. Ask her why she wants to know.
b. Determine why she is so anxious.
c. Explain in simple terms how it works.
d. Tell her she will see how it works as it is used.
c. Explain in simple terms how it works.
School-age children require explanations and reasons for everything. They are interested in the functional aspect of all procedures, objects, and activities. It is appropriate for the nurse to explain how equipment works and what will happen to the child so that the child can then observe during the procedure. The nurse should respond positively for requests for information about procedures and health information. By not responding, the nurse may be limiting communication with the child. The child is not exhibiting anxiety in asking how the blood pressure apparatus works, just requesting clarification of what will occur.
The nurse is having difficulty communicating with a hospitalized 6-year-old child. Which technique should be most helpful?
a. Recommend that the child keep a diary.
b. Provide supplies for the child to draw a picture.
c. Suggest that the parent read fairy tales to the child.
d. Ask the parent if the child is always uncommunicative.
b. Provide supplies for the child to draw a picture.
Drawing is one of the most valuable forms of communication. Childrens drawings tell a great
deal about them because they are projections of the childrens inner self. A diary should be difficult for a 6-year-old child, who is most likely learning to read. The parent reading fairy tales to the child is a passive activity involving the parent and child; it should not facilitate
Which data should be included in a health history?
a. Review of systems
b. Physical assessment
c. Growth measurements
d. Record of vital signs
a. Review of systems
A review of systems is done to elicit information concerning any potential health problems. This further guides the interview process. Physical assessment, growth measurements, and a record of vital signs are components of the physical examination.
The nurse is taking a health history of an adolescent. Which best describes how the chief complaint should be determined?
a. Request a detailed listing of symptoms.
b. Ask the adolescent, Why did you come here today?
c. Interview the parent away from the adolescent to determine the chief complaint.
d. Use what the adolescent says to determine, in correct medical terminology, what the problem is.
b. Ask the adolescent, Why did you come here today?
The chief complaint is the specific reason for the childs visit to the clinic, office, or hospital. Because the adolescent is the focus of the history, this is an appropriate way to determine the chief complaint. Requesting a detailed list of symptoms makes it difficult to determine the chief complaint. The parent and adolescent may be interviewed separately, but the nurse should determine the reason the adolescent is seeking attention at this time. The chief complaint is
usually written in the words that the parent or adolescent uses to describe the reason for seeking help.
The nurse is interviewing the mother of an infant. The mother reports, I had a difficult delivery, and my baby was born prematurely. This information should be recorded under which heading?
a. History
b. Present illness
c. Chief complaint
d. Review of systems
a. History
The history refers to information that relates to previous aspects of the childs health, not to the current problem. The difficult delivery and prematurity are important parts of the infants history. The history of the present illness is a narrative of the chief complaint from its earliest onset
through its progression to the present. Unless the chief complaint is directly related to the prematurity, this information is not included in the history of the present illness. The chief complaint is the specific reason for the childs visit to the clinic, office, or hospital. It should not
include the birth information. The review of systems is a specific review of each body system. It does not include the premature birth but might include sequelae such as pulmonary dysfunction.
Where in the health history does a record of immunizations belong?
a. History
b. Present illness
c. Review of systems
d. Physical assessment
a. History
The history contains information relating to all previous aspects of the childs health status. The immunizations are appropriately included in the history. The present illness, review of systems, and physical assessment are not appropriate places to record the immunization status.
The nurse is taking a sexual history on an adolescent girl. Which is the best way to determine whether she is sexually active?
a. Ask her, Are you sexually active?
b. Ask her, Are you having sex with anyone?
c. Ask her, Are you having sex with a boyfriend?
d. Ask both the girl and her parent if she is sexually active.
b. Ask her, Are you having sex with anyone?
Asking the adolescent girl if she is having sex with anyone is a direct question that is well understood. The phrase sexually active is broadly defined and may not provide specific information for the nurse to provide necessary care. The word anyone is preferred to using gender-specific terms such as boyfriend or girlfriend. Using gender-neutral terms is inclusive and conveys acceptance to the adolescent. Questioning about sexual activity should occur when the
adolescent is alone.
When doing a nutritional assessment on a Hispanic family, the nurse learns that their diet consists mainly of vegetables, legumes, and starches. The nurse should recognize that this diet is which?
a. Lacking in protein
b. Indicating they live in poverty
c. Providing sufficient amino acids
d. Needing enrichment with meat and milk
c. Providing sufficient amino acids
A diet that contains vegetables, legumes, and starches may provide sufficient essential amino acids even though the actual amount of meat or dairy protein is low. Combinations of foods contain the essential amino acids necessary for growth. Many cultures use diets that contain this
combination of foods. It is not indicative of poverty. A dietary assessment should be done, but many vegetarian diets are sufficient for growth.
