N131 Peds Ch 20 (Family-Centered Palliative Care) & Ch 22 (Family-Centered Care of the Child During Illness and Hospitalization)

When communicating with dying children, what should the nurse remember? a. Adolescent children tend to be concrete thinkers. b. Games, art, and play provide a good means of expression. c. When children can recite facts, they understand the implications of those facts. d. If children's questions direct the conversation, the assessment will be incomplete.

ANS: B Games, art, and play provide children a way to use their natural expressive means to stimulate dialogue. Adolescent children are abstract thinkers. Children may not understand the implication of facts just because they can recite them. The assessment is more complete when children's questions direct the conversation.

The family and child have decided that hospice care best meets their needs during the terminal phase of illness. The nurse recognizes that the parents understand the principles of this care when they make which statement? a. "It will be good to be at home and care for our child." b. "What a relief it will be not to need any more medicines." c. "We are going to miss the support of the hospice team when our child dies." d."We know that once hospice care starts, we will not be able to return to the hospital if the care is difficult."

ANS: A A major principle of hospice care is that the family members are the principal caregivers and are supported by a team of professionals. Pain and symptom management is a priority. The family and visiting nurses administer medications to keep the child as pain and symptom free as possible. The hospice team provides bereavement support to help the family in the postdeath adjustment. This may last for up to a year or more. If the family decides they can no longer care for the child at home, readmission to a freestanding hospice or hospital is possible.

A child, age 4 years, tells the nurse that she "needs a Band-Aid" where she had an injection. What nursing action should the nurse implement? a. Apply a Band-Aid. b. Ask her why she wants a Band-Aid. c. Explain why a Band-Aid is not needed. d. Show her that the bleeding has already stopped.

ANS: A Children in this age group still fear that their insides may leak out at the injection site. The nurse should be prepared to apply a small Band-Aid after the injection. No explanation should be required.

What statement is most descriptive of a school-age child's reaction to death? a. Very interested in funerals and burials b. Little understanding of words such as "forever" c. Imagine the deceased person to be still alive d. Can explain death from a religious or spiritual point of view

ANS: A School-age children are interested in naturalistic and physiologic explanations of why death occurs and what happens to the body. School-age children do have an established concept of forever and have a deeper understanding of death in a concrete manner. Adolescents may explain death from a religious or spiritual point of view.

A 12-year-old child has failed several courses of chemotherapy. An experimental drug is available that his parents want him to receive. He has told his parents and the oncologists that he is ready to die and does not want any more chemotherapy. The nurse recognizes what to be true? a. Parents and child both need support in the decision making. b. Twelve-year-olds are minors and cannot give consent or refuse treatments. c. The oncologists needs to make the decision because the parents and child disagree. d. The parents have the right and responsibility to make decisions for their children younger than age 18 years.

ANS: A This is a family issue that requires support to help both parents and child resolve the conflict. Because the child has little chance of survival, many institutions support the child's right to refuse or assent to therapy. The institution can obtain a court order to support the child's decision if verified by the oncologists. Twelve-year-olds can give consent for therapy under certain conditions, including being an emancipated minor and receiving therapy for birth control and sexually transmitted infections. Right to self-determination is also accepted if the child is fully aware of the consequences of the actions. The practitioners cannot take the responsibility for decision making from the parent or child. Parents have the responsibility for decision making, but certain circumstances do limit their authority.

What nursing intervention is most appropriate when providing comfort and support for a child when death is imminent? a. Limit care to essentials. b. Avoid playing music near the child. c. Whisper to the child instead of using a normal voice. d. Explain to the child the need for constant measurement of vital signs.

ANS: A When death is imminent, care should be limited to interventions for palliative care. Music may be used to provide comfort to the child. The nurse should speak to the child in a clear, distinct voice. Vital signs do not need to be measured frequently.

When is an autopsy required? a. In the case of a suspected suicide b. When a person has a known terminal illness c. With a hospice patient who dies at home d. With the victim of a motor vehicle collision

ANS: A Autopsy is usually required in cases of unexplained death, violent death, or suspected suicide. In other instances it may be optional, and parents should be informed. The cause of death is not unknown in a person with a known terminal illness, a hospice patient at home, or a victim of a motor vehicle collision. Autopsy can be requested by family, but it is not required.

The nurse should expect a toddler to cope with the stress of a short period of separation from parents by displaying what? a. Regression b. Happiness c. Detachment d. Indifference

ANS: A Children in the toddler stage demonstrate goal-directed behaviors when separated from parents for short periods. They may demonstrate displeasure on the parents' return or departure by having temper tantrums; refusing to comply with the usual routines of mealtime, bedtime, or toileting; or regressing to more primitive levels of development. Detachment would be seen with a prolonged absence of parents, not a short one. Toddlers would not be indifferent or happy when experiencing short separations from parents.

The nurse is providing support to parents adapting to the hospitalization of their child to the pediatric intensive care unit. The nurse notices that the parents keep asking the same questions. What should the nurse do? a. Patiently continue to answer questions, trying different approaches. b. Kindly refer them to someone else for answering their questions. c. Recognize that some parents cannot understand explanations. d. Suggest that they ask their questions when they are not upset.

ANS: A In addition to a general pediatric unit, children may be admitted to special facilities such as an ambulatory or outpatient setting, an isolation room, or intensive care. Wherever the location, the core principles of patient and family-centered care provide a foundation for all communication and interventions with the patient, family, and health care team. The nurse should do the therapeutic action and patiently continue to answer questions, trying different approaches.

Parents of a hospitalized child often question the skill of staff. The nurse interprets this behavior by the parents as what? a. Normal b. Paranoid c. Indifferent d. Wanting attention

ANS: A Recent research has identified common themes among parents whose children were hospitalized, including feeling an overall sense of helplessness, questioning the skills of staff, accepting the reality of hospitalization, needing to have information explained in simple language, dealing with fear, coping with uncertainty, and seeking reassurance from the health care team. The behavior does not indicate the parents are paranoid, indifferent, or wanting attention

An 8-year-old girl is being admitted to the hospital from the emergency department with an injury from falling off her bicycle. What intervention will help her most in her adjustment to the hospital? a. Explain hospital schedules to her, such as mealtimes. b. Use terms such as "honey" and "dear" to show a caring attitude. c. Explain when parents can visit and why siblings cannot come to see her. d. Orient her parents, because she is too young, to her room and hospital facility.

ANS: A School-age children need to have control of their environment. The nurse should offer explanations or prepare the child for what to expect. The nurse should refer to the child by the preferred name. Explaining when parents can visit and why siblings cannot come focuses on the limitations rather than helping her adjust to the hospital. At the age of 8 years, the child should be oriented to the environment along with the parents.

The mother of a 7-month-old infant newly diagnosed with cystic fibrosis is rooming in with her infant. She is breastfeeding and provides all the care except for the medication administration. What should the nurse include in the plan of care? a. Ensuring that the mother has time away from the infant b. Making sure the mother is providing all of the infant's care c. Determining whether other family members can provide the necessary care so the mother can rest d. Contacting the social worker because of the mother's interference with the nursing care

ANS: A The mother needs sufficient rest and nutrition so she can be effective as a caregiver. While the infant is hospitalized, the care is the responsibility of the nursing staff. The mother should be made comfortable with the care the staff provides in her absence. The mother has a right to provide care for the infant. The nursing staff and the mother should agree on the care division.

When a preschool-age child is hospitalized without adequate preparation, the nurse should recognize that the child may likely see hospitalization as what? a. Punishment b. Loss of parental love c. Threat to the child's self-image d. Loss of companionship with friends

ANS: A The rationale for preparing children for the hospital experience and related procedures is based on the principle that a fear of the unknown (fantasy) exceeds fear of the known. Preschool-age children see hospitalization as a punishment. Loss of parental love would be a toddler's reaction. Threat to the child's self-image would be a school-age child's reaction. Loss of companionship with friends would be an adolescent's reaction.

What are core principles of patient- and family-centered care? (Select all that apply.) a. Collaboration b. Empowering families c. Providing formal and informal support d. Maintaining strict policy and procedure routines e. Withholding information that is likely to cause anxiety

ANS: A, B, C Core principles of patent- and family-centered care include collaboration, empowerment, and providing formal and informal support. There should be flexibility in policy and procedures, and communication should be complete, honest, and unbiased, not withheld.

The nurse relates to parents that there are some beneficial effects of hospitalization for their child. What are beneficial effects of hospitalization? (Select all that apply.) a. Recovery from illness b. Improve coping abilities c. Opportunity to master stress d. Provide a break from school e. Provide new socialization experiences

ANS: A, B, C, E The most obvious benefit is the recovery from illness, but hospitalization also can present an opportunity for children to master stress and feel competent in their coping abilities. The hospital environment can provide children with new socialization experiences that can broaden their interpersonal relationships. Having a break from school is not a benefit of hospitalization.

What are signs and symptoms of the stage of despair in relation to separation anxiety in young children? (Select all that apply.) a. Withdrawn from others b. Uncommunicative c. Clings to parents d. Physically attacks strangers e. Forms new but superficial relationships f. Regresses to early behaviors

ANS: A, B, F Manifestations of the stage of despair seen in children during a hospitalization may include withdrawing from others, being uncommunicative, and regressing to earlier behaviors. Clinging to parents and physically attacking a stranger should be seen during the stage of protest, and forming new but superficial relationships is seen during the stage of detachment.

What are common respiratory symptoms dying children experience? (Select all that apply.) a. Cough b. Eupnea c. Wheezing d. Shortness of breath e. Decrease in secretions

ANS: A, C, D Common respiratory symptoms dying children experience include cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Eupnea is normal breathing, and secretions increase not decrease.

The nurse is assessing a family's use of complementary medicine practices. What practices are classified as mind-body control therapies? (Select all that apply.) a. Relaxation b. Acupuncture c. Prayer therapy d. Guided imagery e. Herbal medicine

ANS: A, C, D Relaxation, prayer therapy, and guided imagery are classified as mind-body control therapies. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are classified as traditional and ethnomedicine therapies.

What factors can negatively affect parents' reactions to their child's illness? (Select all that apply.) a. Additional stresses b. Previous coping abilities c. Lack of support systems d. Seriousness of the threat to the child e. Previous experience with hospitalization

ANS: A, C, D The factors that can negatively affect parents' reactions to their child's illness are additional stresses, lack of support systems, and the seriousness of the threat to the child. Previous coping abilities and previous experience with hospitalization would have a positive effect on coping.

What characterizes a preschooler's concept of death? (Select all that apply.) a. Belief their thoughts can cause death. b. They have a concrete understanding of death. c. Death is seen as temporary and gradual. d. Death is seen as a departure, a kind of sleep. e. They usually have some sense of the meaning of death.

ANS: A, C, D, E A preschool child's concept of death includes believing that his or her thoughts can cause death, seeing death as temporary and gradual and a kind of sleep, and having some sense of the meaning of death. Having a concrete understanding of death is a characteristic of a school-age child's concept of death.

Parents tell the nurse that siblings of their hospitalized child are feeling "left out." What suggestions should the nurse make to the parents to assist the siblings to adjust to the hospitalization of their brother or sister? (Select all that apply.) a. Arrange for visits to the hospital. b. Limit information given to the siblings. c. Encourage phone calls to the hospitalized child. d. Make or buy inexpensive toys or trinkets for the siblings. e. Identify an extended family member to be their support system.

ANS: A, C, D, E Strategies to support siblings during hospitalization include arranging for visits, encouraging phone calls, giving inexpensive gifts, and identifying a support person. Information should be shared with the siblings not limited.

What does the nurse recognize as physical signs of approaching death? (Select all that apply.) a. Mottling of skin b. Decreased sleeping c. Cheyne-Stokes respirations d. Loss of the sense of hearing e. Decreased appetite and thirst

ANS: A, C, E Physical signs of approaching death include mottling of skin, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, and decreased appetite and thirst. Sleeping increases, not decreases, and hearing is the last sense to fail.

What are signs and symptoms of the stage of detachment in relation to separation anxiety in young children? (Select all that apply.) a. Appears happy b. Lacks interest in the environment c. Regresses to an earlier behavior d. Forms new but superficial relationships e. Interacts with strangers or familiar caregivers

ANS: A, D, E Manifestations of the stage of detachment seen in children during a hospitalization may include appearing happy, forming new but superficial relationships, and interacting with strangers or familiar caregivers. Lacking interest in the environment and regressing to an earlier behavior are manifestations seen in the stage of despair.

The parents tell a nurse "our child is having some short-term negative outcomes since the hospitalization." The nurse recognizes that what can negatively affect short-term negative outcomes? (Select all that apply.) a. Parents' anxiety b. Consistent nurses c. Number of visitors d. Length of hospitalization e. Multiple invasive procedures

ANS: A, D, E The stressors of hospitalization may cause young children to experience short- and long-term negative outcomes. Adverse outcomes may be related to the length and number of admissions, multiple invasive procedures, and the parents' anxiety. Consistent nurses would have a positive effect on short-term negative outcomes. The number of visitors does not have an effect on negative outcomes.

What characterizes a toddler's concept of death? (Select all that apply.) a. They are unable to comprehend an absence of life. b. They may recognize the fact of physical death. c. They understand the universality and inevitability of death. d. The are affected more by the change in lifestyle than the concept of death. e. They can only think about events in terms of their own frame of reference—living.

ANS: A, D, E Toddlers are egocentric and can only think about events in terms of their own frame of reference—living. Their egocentricity and vague separation of fact and fantasy make it impossible for them to comprehend absence of life. Instead of understanding death, this age group is affected more by any change in lifestyle. Toddlers do not understand the universality and inevitability of death and do not recognize the fact of physical death.

The nurse is making a home visit 48 hours after the death of an infant from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). What intervention is an appropriate objective for this visit? a. Give contraceptive information. b. Provide information on the grief process. c. Reassure parents that SIDS is not likely to occur again. d. Thoroughly investigate the home situation to verify SIDS as the cause of death.

ANS: B A home visit after the death of an infant is an excellent time to help the parents with the grief process. The nurse can clarify misconceptions about SIDS and provide information on support services and coping issues. Giving contraceptive information is inappropriate unless requested by parents. Telling the parents that SIDS is not likely to occur again is a false reassurance to the family. Investigating the home situation to verify SIDS as the cause of death is not the nurse's role; this would have been done by legal and social services if there were a question about the infant's death.

The nurse is providing support to a family that is experiencing anticipatory grief related to their child's imminent death. What statement by the nurse is therapeutic? a. "Your other children need you to be strong." b. "You have been through a very tough time." c. "His suffering is over; you should be happy." d. "God never gives us more than we can handle."

ANS: B Acknowledging that the family has been through a very tough time validates the loss that the parents have experienced. It is nonjudgmental. After the death of a child, the parent recognizes the responsibilities to the rest of the family but needs to be able to experience the grief of the loss. Telling the parents what they should do is giving advice. The parent would not be happy that the child has died, and stating so is argumentative. The parents may be angry with God, or their religious beliefs may be unknown, so the nurse should not provide false reassurance by talking to them about God.

The nurse has attended a professional development program about palliative care for the pediatric population. What statement by the nurse should indicate a correct understanding of the program? a. "Palliative care provides interventions that hasten death." b. "Palliative care promotes the optimal functioning and quality of life." c. "Palliative care does not provide pain and symptom management like hospice care." d. "Palliative care is not well received in hospitals that provide end-of-life care for children."

ANS: B Palliative care is designed to promote optimal functioning and quality of life during the time the child has remaining. Palliative care does not provide interventions that are intended to hasten death. The care does provide pain and symptom management and is well received in hospitals that provide end-of-life care for children.

A child in the terminal stage of cancer has frequent breakthrough pain. Nonpharmacologic methods are not helpful, and the child is exceeding the maximum safe dose for opiate administration. What approach should the nurse implement? a. Add acetaminophen for the breakthrough pain. b. Titrate the opioid medications to control the child's pain as specified in the protocol. c. Notify the practitioner that immediate hospitalization is indicated for pain management. d. Help the parents and child understand that no additional medication can be given because of the risk of respiratory depression.

ANS: B The child on long-term opioid management can become tolerant to the drugs. Also, increasing amounts of drugs may be necessary for disease progression. It is important to recognize that there is no maximum dosage that can be given to control pain. Acetaminophen will offer little additional pain control; it is useful for mild and moderate pain. Immediate hospitalization is not necessary; increased dosages of pain medications can be administered in the home environment. The principle of double effect allows for a positive intervention—relief of pain—even if there is a foreseeable possibility that death may be hastened.

An 8-year-old girl has been uncooperative and angry since the diagnosis of cancer was made. Her parents tell the nurse that they do not know what to do "because she is always so mad at us." What nursing action is most appropriate at this time? a. Explain to child that anger is not helpful. b. Help the parents deal with her anger constructively. c. Ask the parents to find out what she is angry about. d. Encourage the parents to ignore the anger at this time.

ANS: B To school-age children, chronic illness and dying represent a loss of control. This threat to their sense of security and ego strength can be manifested by verbal uncooperativeness. The child can be viewed as impolite, insolent, and stubborn. The best intervention is to encourage children to talk about feelings and give control where possible. Verbal explanations would not be "heard" by the child. The child may not be cognizant of the anger. Ignoring the anger will not help the child gain some control over the events.

The nurse is notified that a 9-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome is being admitted. Only semiprivate rooms are available. What roommate should be best to select? a. A 10-year-old girl with pneumonia b. An 8-year-old boy with a fractured femur c. A 10-year-old boy with a ruptured appendix d. A 9-year-old girl with congenital heart disease

ANS: B An 8-year-old boy with a fractured femur would be the best choice for a roommate. The boys are similar in age. The child with nephrotic syndrome most likely will be on immunosuppressive agents and susceptible to infection. The child with a fractured femur is not infectious. A girl should not be a good roommate for a school-age boy. In addition, the 10-year-old girl with pneumonia and the 10-year-old boy with a ruptured appendix have infections and could pose a risk for the child with nephrotic syndrome.

A 13-year-old child with cystic fibrosis (CF) is a frequent patient on the pediatric unit. This admission, she is sleeping during the daytime and unable to sleep at night. What should be a beneficial strategy for this child? a. Administer prescribed sedative at night to aid in sleep. b. Negotiate a daily schedule that incorporates hospital routine, therapy, and free time. c. Have the practitioner speak with the child about the need for rest when receiving therapy for CF. d. Arrange a consult with the social worker to determine whether issues at home are interfering with her care.

ANS: B Children's response to the disruption of routine during hospitalization is demonstrated in eating, sleeping, and other activities of daily living. The lack of structure is allowing the child to sleep during the day, rather than at night. Most likely the lack of schedule is the problem. The nurse and child can plan a schedule that incorporates all necessary activities, including medications, mealtimes, homework, and patient care procedures. The schedule can then be posted so the child has a ready reference. Sedatives are not usually used with children. The child has a chronic illness and most likely knows the importance of rest. The parents and child can be questioned about changes at home since the last hospitalization.

The nurse is caring for a 10-year-old child during a long hospitalization. What intervention should the nurse include in the care plan to minimize loss of control and autonomy during the hospitalization? a. Allow the child to skip morning self-care activities to watch a favorite television program. b. Create a calendar with special events such as a visit from a friend to maintain a routine. c. Allow the child to sleep later in the morning and go to bed later at night to promote control. d. Create a restrictive environment so the child feels in control of sensory stimulation.

ANS: B School-age children may feel an overwhelming loss of control and autonomy during a longer hospitalization. One intervention to minimize this loss of control is to create a calendar with planned special events such as a visit from a friend. Maintaining the child's daily routine is another intervention to minimize the sense of loss of control; allowing the child to skip morning self-care activities, sleep later, or stay up later would work against this goal. Environments should be as nonrestrictive as possible to allow the child freedom to move about, thus allowing a sense of autonomy.

The parents of a 4-month-old infant cannot visit except on weekends. What action by the nurse indicates an understanding of the emotional needs of a young infant? a. Place her in a room away from other children. b. Assign her to the same nurse as much as possible. c. Tell the parents that frequent visiting is unnecessary. d. Assign her to different nurses so she will have varied contacts.

ANS: B The infant is developing a sense of trust. This is accomplished by the consistent, loving care of a nurturing person. If the parents are unable to visit, then the same staff nurses should be used as much as possible. Placing her in a room away from other children would isolate the child. The parents should be encouraged to visit. The nurse should describe how the staff will care for the infant in their absence.

What is a principle of palliative care that can be included in the care of children? a. Maintenance of curative therapy b. Child and family as the unit of care c. Exclusive focus on the spiritual issues the family faces d. Extensive use of opiates to ensure total pain control

ANS: B The principles of palliative care involve a multidisciplinary approach to the management of a terminal illness or the dying process that focuses on symptom control and support rather than on cure or life prolongation in the absence of the possibility of a cure. In pediatric palliative care, the focus of care is on the family. Palliative care requires the transition from curative to palliative care. The transition occurs when the likelihood of cure no longer exists. Spiritual issues are just one of the foci of palliative care. The multidisciplinary team focuses on physical, emotional, and social issues as well. Pain control is a priority in palliative care. The use of opiates is balanced with the side effects caused by this class of drugs.

A 10-year-old girl needs to have another intravenous (IV) line started. She keeps telling the nurse, "Wait a minute," and, "I'm not ready." How should the nurse interpret this behavior? a. IV insertions are viewed as punishment. b. This is expected behavior for a school-age child. c. Protesting like this is usually not seen past the preschool years. d. The child has successfully manipulated the nurse in the past.

ANS: B This school-age child is attempting to maintain some control over the hospital experience. The nurse should provide the girl with structured choices about when the IV line will be inserted. Preschoolers can view procedures as punishment; this is not typical behavior of a preschool-age child.

What nursing interventions should the nurse plan for a hospitalized toddler to minimize fear of bodily injury? (Select all that apply.) a. Perform procedures slowly. b. Maintain parent-child contact. c. Use progressively smaller dressings on surgical incisions. d. Tell the child bleeding will stop after the needle is removed. e. Remove a dressing as quickly as possible from surgical incisions.

ANS: B, C Whenever procedures are performed on young children, the most supportive intervention to minimize the fear of bodily injury is to do the procedure as quickly as possible while maintaining parent-child contact. Because of toddlers' and preschool children's poorly defined body boundaries, the use of bandages may be particularly helpful. For example, telling children that the bleeding will stop after the needle is removed does little to relieve their fears, but applying a small Band-Aid usually reassures them. The size of bandages is also significant to children in this age group; the larger the bandage, the more importance is attached to the wound. Watching their surgical dressings become successively smaller is one way young children can measure healing and improvement. Prematurely removing a dressing may cause these children considerable concern for their well-being.

The nurse is assessing a family's use of complementary medicine practices. What practices are classified as nutrition, diet, and lifestyle or behavioral health changes? (Select all that apply.) a. Reflexology b. Macrobiotics c. Megavitamins d. Health risk reduction e. Chiropractic medicine

ANS: B, C, D Macrobiotics, megavitamins, and health risk reduction are classified as nutrition, diet, and lifestyle or behavioral health changes. Reflexology and chiropractic medicine are classified as structural manipulation and energetic therapies.

What characterizes a school-aged child's concept of death? (Select all that apply.) a. Have a mature understanding of death b. Can respond to logical explanations of death c. Personify death as the devil or the bogeyman d. Have a deeper understanding of death in a concrete sense e. Fear the mutilation and punishment associated with death

ANS: B, C, D, E A school-aged child's concept of death includes responding to logical explanations of death, personifying death as the devil or bogeyman, having a deeper understanding of death in a concrete sense, and fearing mutilation and punishment associated with death. Adolescents' concept of death is a mature understanding of death.

What influences a child's reaction to the stressors of hospitalization? (Select all that apply.) a. Gender b. Separation c. Support systems d. Developmental age e. Previous experience with illness

ANS: B, C, D, E Major stressors of hospitalization include separation, loss of control, bodily injury, and pain. Children's reactions to these crises are influenced by their developmental age; previous experience with illness, separation, or hospitalization; innate and acquired coping skills; seriousness of the diagnosis; and support systems available. Gender does not have an effect on a child's reaction to stressors of hospitalization.

A critically injured child has died and is being removed from a ventilator in the pediatric intensive care unit. What is a priority nursing intervention for the family at this time? a. Ensure that parents are in the waiting room while the ventilator is removed. b. Help the parents understand that the child is already dead and no further interventions are necessary. c. Control the environment around the child and family to provide privacy. d. Encourage them to wait to see their child until the funeral home has prepared the body.

ANS: C Around the time of death, nursing care can be invaluable to the parents. The nurse should attempt to control the environment to ensure that the family and child have privacy. Other individuals such as clergy can be present if the family wishes. Attention to religious and cultural rituals may be important to them. The family should decide where they would like to be during removal from the ventilator. The family should be allowed to be with the child if they wish rather than waiting until the funeral home has prepared the body. Explain all interventions used for the child before death

What explanation best describes how preschoolers react to the death of a loved one? a. Grief is acute but does not last long at this age. b. Children this age are too young to have a concept of death. c. Preschoolers may feel guilty and responsible for the death. d. They express grief in the same way that the adults in the preschoolers' life are expressing grief.

ANS: C Because of egocentricity, the preschooler may feel guilty and responsible for the death. Preschoolers may need to distance themselves from the loss. Giggling or joking and regression to earlier behaviors may help them until they incorporate the loss. The preschooler's concept of death is more a special sleep or departure.

At which age do most children have an adult concept of death as being inevitable, universal, and irreversible? a. 4 to 5 years b. 6 to 8 years c. 9 to 11 years d. 12 to 16 years

ANS: C By age 9 or 10 years, children have an adult concept of death. They realize that it is inevitable, universal, and irreversible. Preschoolers and young school-age children are too young to have an adult concept of death. Adolescents have a mature understanding of death.

The sibling of a 4-year-old girl dies from sudden infant death syndrome. The parents are concerned because the 4-year-old girl showed more outward grief when her cat died than now. How should the nurse explain this reaction to the parents? a. The child is not old enough to have a concept of death. b. This suggests maladaptive coping, and referral is needed for counseling. c. The death may be so painful and threatening that the child must deny it for now. d. The child is not old enough to have formed a significant attachment to her sibling.

ANS: C Children of this age believe that their thoughts can cause death. The child may feel guilty and responsible. The loss may be so deep, painful, and threatening that the child needs to deny it for a time. Denial is within the range of a normal response to the death of a sibling. Counseling is not indicated at this time. Denial is also characteristic of the child's developmental level. These children do have a concept of death, seeing it as a separation. The child also would have formed an attachment to the sibling, who was in the house and sharing the parents' time and attention.

Parents tell the nurse they do not want to let their school-age child know his illness is terminal. What response should the nurse make to the parents? a. "Have you discussed this with your health care provider?" b. "I would do the same thing in your position; it is better the child doesn't know." c. "I understand you want to protect your child, but often children realize the seriousness of their illness." d. "I praise you for that decision; it can be so difficult to be truthful about the seriousness of your son's illness."

ANS: C Terminally ill children develop an awareness of the seriousness of their diagnosis even when protected from the truth. Acknowledging parents feelings but giving them truthful information is the appropriate response. Asking about discussing this with the health care provider is avoiding the issue. Sharing your own feelings by stating "I would do the same thing" and giving praise for the decision is nontherapeutic.

Parents ask the nurse, "When should palliative care be initiated?" What is the best response by the nurse? a. "When curative care is not feasible." b. "When the child's prognosis is uncertain." c. "It should be included along the continuum of care." d. "It should begin when curative treatments are no longer appropriate."

ANS: C The current approach by palliative care experts promotes the inclusion of palliative care along the continuum of care from diagnosis through treatment, not merely at the end of life. It should not wait to be initiated when curative care is not feasible, the child's prognosis is uncertain, or curative treatments are no longer appropriate.

A preschooler is found digging up a pet bird that was recently buried after it died. What is the best explanation for this behavior? a. He has a morbid preoccupation with death. b. He is looking to see if a ghost took it away. c. He needs reassurance that the pet has not gone somewhere else. d. The loss is not yet resolved, and professional counseling is needed.

ANS: C The preschooler can recognize that the pet has died but has difficulties with the permanence. Digging up the bird gives reassurance that the bird is still present. This is an expected response at this age. If the behavior persists, intervention may be required.

The nurse understands that a school-age child may react to death with what reaction? a. Joking b. Having no reaction c. Fearing the unknown d. Seeing it as a distant event

ANS: C They tend to fear the expectation of the event more than its realization. Their fear of the unknown is greater than that of the known. They would not joke or have no reaction. Adolescents see death as a distant event.

The nurse is assessing a child's functional self-care level for feeding, bathing and hygiene, dressing, and grooming and toileting. The child requires assistance or supervision from another person and equipment or device. What code does the nurse assign for this child? a. I b. II c. III d. IV

ANS: C A code of III indicates the child requires assistance from another person and equipment or device. A code of I indicates use of equipment or device. A code of II indicates assistance or supervision from another person. A code of IV indicates the child is totally dependent.

Two hospitalized adolescents are playing pool in the activity room. Neither of them seems enthusiastic about the game. How should the nurse interpret this situation? a. Playing pool requires too much concentration for this age group. b. Pool is an activity better suited for younger children. c. The adolescents may be enjoying themselves but have lower energy levels than healthy children. d. The adolescents' lack of enthusiasm is one of the signs of depression.

ANS: C Children who are ill and hospitalized typically have lower energy levels than healthy children. Therefore, children may not appear enthusiastic about an activity even when they are enjoying it. Pool is an appropriate activity for adolescents. They have the cognitive and psychomotor skills that are necessary. If the adolescents were significantly depressed, they would be unable to engage in the game.

What parents should have the most difficult time coping with their child's hospitalization? a. Parents of a child hospitalized for juvenile arthritis b. Parents of a child hospitalized with a recent diagnosis of bronchiolitis c. Parents of a child hospitalized for sepsis resulting from an untreated injury d. Parents of a child hospitalized for surgical correction of undescended testicles

ANS: C Factors that affect parents' reactions to their child's illness include the seriousness of the threat to the child. The parents of a child hospitalized for sepsis resulting from an untreated injury would have more difficulty coping because of the seriousness of the illness and because the wound was not treated immediately.

What behavior should most likely be manifested in an infant experiencing the protest phase of separation anxiety? a. Inactivity b. Depression and sadness c. Inconsolable and crying d. Regression to earlier behavior

ANS: C For older infants, being inconsolable and crying is seen during the protest phase of separation anxiety. Inactivity is observed during the stage of despair. The child is much less active and withdraws from others. Depression, sadness, and regression to earlier behaviors are observed during the phase of despair.

The parents of a 3-year-old admitted for recurrent diarrhea are upset that the practitioner has not told them what is going on with their child. What is the priority intervention for this family? a. Answer all of the parents' questions about the child's illness. b. Immediately page the practitioner to come to the unit to speak with the family. c. Help the family develop a written list of specific questions to ask the practitioner. d. Inform the family of the time that hospital rounds are made so that they can be present.

ANS: C Often families ask general questions of health care providers and do not receive the information they need. The nurse should determine what information the family does want and then help develop a list of questions. When the questions are written, the family can remember which questions to ask or can hand the sheet to the practitioner for answers. The nurse may have the information the parents want, but they are asking for specific information from the practitioner. Unless it is an emergency, the nurse should not place a stat page for the practitioner. Being present is not necessarily the issue but rather the ability to get answers to specific questions.

The nurse is often the individual who is in the optimum position to suggest tissue donation to a family (after consultation with the practitioner). What will occur if a family chooses organ or tissue donation? a. The funeral will be delayed. b. Cremation is the preferred method of burial. c. Written consent is required for tissue or organ donation. d. An open casket cannot be used subsequent to this procedure.

ANS: C Organ and tissue donation cannot proceed without the family's written informed consent. There is usually no delay in the funeral. Organs are usually retrieved before actual death, and tissue must be removed soon after. No obvious disfigurement of the body occurs, and an open casket can be used for the funeral.

The nurse is admitting a 7-year-old child to the pediatric unit for abdominal pain. To determine what the child understands about the reason for hospitalization, what should the nurse do? a. Find out what the parents have told the child. b. Review the note from the admitting practitioner. c. Ask the child why he came to the hospital today. d. Question the parents about why they brought the child to the hospital.

ANS: C School-age children are able to answer questions. The only way for the nurse to know about the child's understanding of the reason for hospitalization is to ask the child directly. Finding out what the parents told the child and why they brought the child to the hospital or reading the admitting practitioner's description of the reason for admission will not provide information about what the child has heard and retained.

A school-age child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The parents want to protect their child from knowing the seriousness of the illness. The nurse should provide which explanation? a. This attitude is helpful to give parents time to cope. b. This will help the child cope effectively by denial. c. Terminally ill children know when they are seriously ill. d. Terminally ill children usually choose not to discuss the seriousness of their illness.

ANS: C The child needs honest and accurate information about the illness, treatments, and prognosis. Because of the increased attention of health professionals, children, even at a young age, realize that something is seriously wrong and that it involves them. Thus, denial is ineffective as a coping mechanism. The nurse should help parents understand the importance of honesty. Parents may need professional support and guidance from a nurse or social worker in this process. Children will usually tell others how much information they want about their condition.

A 6-year-old is being discharged home, which is 90 miles from the hospital, after an outpatient hernia repair. In addition to explicit discharge instructions, what should the nurse provide? a. An ambulance for transport home b. Verbal information about follow-up care c. Prescribed pain medication before discharge d. Driving instructions for a route with less traffic

ANS: C The nurse should anticipate that the child will begin experiencing pain on the trip home. By providing a dose of oral analgesia, the nurse can ensure the child remains comfortable during the trip. Transport by ambulance is not indicated for a hernia repair. Discharge instructions should be written. The parents will be focusing on their child and returning home, which limits their ability to retain information. The parents should know the most expedient route home.

What factors influence the effects of a child's hospitalization on siblings? (Select all that apply.) a. Older siblings b. Experiencing minimal changes c. Receiving little information about their ill brother or sister d. Being cared for outside the home by care providers who are not relatives e. Perceiving that their parents treat them differently compared with before their sibling's hospitalization

ANS: C, D, E Various factors have been identified that influence the effects of a child's hospitalization on siblings. Factors that are related specifically to the hospital experience and increase the effects on the sibling are being cared for outside the home by care providers who are not relatives, receiving little information about their ill brother or sister, and perceiving that their parents treat them differently compared with before their sibling's hospitalization. Being younger, not older, and experiencing many changes, not minimal changes, are factors that influence the effects of a child's hospitalization on siblings.

What characterizes an infant's concept of death? (Select all that apply.) a. Death is seen as temporary. b. Death is seen as a departure, a kind of sleep. c. Death has no significance before 6 months of age. d. They believe that death is a consequence of their thoughts. e. Anxiety is not created by death but by loss, even temporary, of the parent.

ANS: C, E Infants have no concept of death before six months and anxiety is not created by death but by loss, even temporary, of the parent. Death seen as temporary, a departure, or a belief that death is a consequence of thoughts are characteristic of a preschool child's concepts of death.

At which developmental period do children have the most difficulty coping with death, particularly if it is their own? a. Toddlerhood b. Preschool c. School age d. Adolescence

ANS: D Adolescents, because of their mature understanding of death, remnants of guilt and shame, and issues with deviations from normal, have the most difficulty coping with death. Toddlers and preschoolers are too young to have difficulty coping with their own death. They fear separation from their parents. School-age children fear the unknown such as the consequences of the illness and the threat to their sense of security.

How might the quality of life for a terminally ill child and his family be enhanced by nurses? a. Tell the family what is best. b. Leave the family alone to deal with their tragedy. c. Remain objective and uninvolved with family grieving. d. Advocate for and implement pain and symptom relief measures.

ANS: D By increasing personal remembering, the nurse can advocate for and provide the best possible care for the child and family. This is supportive for the family and helps the nurse reduce the stress of caregiving. If the nurse tells the family what is best, this removes the decision making from the parents. It also increases pressure on the nurse to be the expert. The nurse is in a supportive role. The nurse should not leave the family alone to deal with their tragedy. Becoming involved is an objective, deliberate choice. Ideally, the nurse achieves detached concern, which allows sensitive, understanding care because the nurse is sufficiently detached to make objective, rational decisions.

What factor is most important for parents implementing do not resuscitate (DNR) orders? a. Parents' beliefs about euthanasia b. Presence of other children in the home c. Experiences of the health care team with other children in this situation d. Acknowledgment by health care team that child has no realistic chance for cure

ANS: D Earlier implementation of DNR orders, use of less aggressive therapies, and greater provision of palliative care measures are associated with an honest appraisal of the child's condition. Euthanasia involves an action carried out by a person other than the patient to end the life of the patient suffering from a terminal condition. DNR orders do not involve euthanasia but give permission for health care providers to allow the child to die without intervention. Parents state that regardless of the number of children they have, the death of a child is a new experience and nothing can prepare them for it. Health professionals may base their discussions with families on prior experiences, but families base their decision on an honest appraisal of their child's condition.

A 9-year-old boy has an unplanned admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) after abdominal surgery. The nursing staff has completed the admission process, and his condition is beginning to stabilize. When speaking with the parents, the nurse should expect what additional stressor to be evident? a. Usual day-night routine b. Calming influence of staff c. Adequate privacy and support d. Insufficient remembering of his condition and routine

ANS: D ICUs, especially when the family is unprepared for the admission, are strange and unfamiliar. There are many pieces of unfamiliar equipment, and the sights and sounds are much different from those of a general hospital unit. Also, with the child's condition being more precarious, it may be difficult to keep the parents updated on what is happening. Lights are usually on around the clock, seriously disrupting the diurnal rhythm. In most ICUs, the staff works with a sense of urgency. It is difficult for parents to ask questions about their child when staff is with other patients. Usually little privacy is available for families in ICUs.

A 12-year-old boy is in the final phase of dying from leukemia. He tells the nurse who is giving him opiates for pain that his grandfather is waiting for him. How should the nurse interpret this situation? a. The boy is experiencing side effects of the opiates. b. The boy is making an attempt to comfort his parents. c. He is experiencing hallucinations resulting from brain anoxia. d. He is demonstrating readiness and acceptance that death is near.

ANS: D Near the time of death, many children experience visions of "angels" or people and talk with them. The children mention that they are not afraid and that someone is waiting for them. If the child has built a tolerance to the opioids, side effects are not likely. At this time, many children do begin to comfort their families and tell them that they are not afraid and are ready to die, but the visions usually precede this stage. There is no evidence of tissue hypoxia.

Several nurses tell their nursing supervisor that they want to attend the funeral of a child for whom they had cared. They say they felt especially close to both the child and the family. The supervisor should recognize that attending the funeral serves what purpose? a. It is improper because it increases burnout. b. It is inappropriate because it is unprofessional. c. It is proper because families expect this expression of concern. d. It is appropriate because it can assist in the resolution of personal grief.

ANS: D Some nurses find shared remembrance rituals useful in resolving grief. Attending funeral services can be a supportive act for both the family and the nurse. Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It results from prolonged involvement with individuals in situations that are emotionally demanding. Attending the funeral of a child can be an effective coping measure. Attending funerals does not detract from the professionalism of care. Although it is important to consider the family's expectations, the act of attending the funeral provides a sense of closure with the family and facilitates the grief process for the nurse.

A 7-year-old child is in the end stages of cancer. The parents ask you how they will know when death is imminent. What physical sign is indicative of approaching death? a. Hunger b. Tachycardia c. Increased thirst d. Difficulty swallowing

ANS: D The child begins to have difficulty swallowing as he or she approaches death. The child's appetite will decrease, and he or she will take only small bites of favorite foods or sips of fluids in the final few days. The pulse rate will slow.

The nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child during a long hospitalization. The parent is concerned about how to support the child's siblings during the hospitalization. What statement is appropriate for the nurse to make? a. "You should choose one parent to spend every night in the hospital while the other parent stays at home with the other children." b. "You could leave your hospitalized child for periods at night to be at home with the other children." c. "You should discourage the siblings from visiting because this could upset everyone in the family." d. "You could encourage a nightly phone call between the siblings as part of the bedtime routine."

ANS: D A supportive measure for siblings of a hospitalized child is to have a routine of a phone call at some point during the day or evening so the parent at the hospital can stay in touch and the children at home are involved and can hear that their sibling is doing well. Parents should alternate who stays at the hospital overnight to prevent burnout and to allow each parent time at home with the siblings. Encourage siblings to visit if appropriate to keep the family unit intact. Leaving the hospitalized child alone at night will not support the siblings at home and may cause problems with the hospitalized child.

Cognitive development influences response to pain. What age group is most concerned with the fear of losing control during a painful experience? a. Toddlers b. Preschoolers c. School-age children d. Adolescents

ANS: D Adolescents view illness as physiologic (an organ malfunction) and psychophysiologic (psychologic factors that affect health). Adolescents usually approach pain with self-control. They are concerned with remaining composed and feel embarrassed and ashamed of losing control. Toddlers and preschoolers react to pain primarily as a physical, concrete experience. Preschoolers may try to escape a procedure with verbal statements such as "go away." Young school-age children may view pain as punishment for wrongdoing. This age group fears bodily harm.

What choice of words or phrases would be inappropriate to use with a child? a. "Rolling bed" for "stretcher" b. "Special medicine" for "dye" c. "Make sleepy" for "deaden" d. "Catheter" for "intravenous"

ANS: D Children can grasp information only if it is presented on or close to their level of cognitive development. This necessitates an awareness of the words used to describe events or processes, and exploring family traditions or approaches to information sharing and creating patient specific language or context. Therefore, to prevent or alleviate fears, nurses must be aware of the medical terminology and vocabulary that they use every day and be sensitive to the use of slang or confusing terminology. "Catheter" is a medical term and would be confusing.

The nurse needs to assess a 15-month-old child who is sitting quietly on his father's lap. What initial action by the nurse would be most appropriate? a. Ask the father to place the child on the exam table. b. Undress the child while he is still sitting on his father's lap. c. Talk softly to the child while taking him from his father. d. Begin the assessment while the child is in his father's lap.

ANS: D For young children, particularly infants and toddlers, preserving parent-child contact is a good way of decreasing stress or the need for physical restraint during an assessment. For example, much of a patient's physical examination can be done with the patient in a parent's lap with the parent providing reassuring and comforting contact. The initial action would be to begin the assessment while the child is in his father's lap.

A parent needs to leave a hospitalized toddler for a short period of time. What action should the nurse suggest to the parent to ease the separation for the toddler? a. Bring a new toy when returning. b. Leave when the child is distracted. c. Tell the child when they will return. d. Leave a favorite article from home with the child.

ANS: D If the parents cannot stay with the child, they should leave favorite articles from home with the child, such as a blanket, toy, bottle, feeding utensil, or article of clothing. Because young children associate such inanimate objects with significant people, they gain comfort and reassurance from these possessions. They make the association that if the parents left this, the parents will surely return. Bringing a new toy would not help with the separation. The parent should not leave when the child is distracted, and toddlers would not understand when the parent should return because time is not a concept they understand.

A 6-year-old child is admitted to the pediatric unit and requires bed rest. Having art supplies available meets which purpose? a. Allows the child to create gifts for parents b. Provides developmentally appropriate activities c. Is essential for play therapy so the child can work on past problems d. Lets the child express thoughts and feelings through pictures rather than words

ANS: D The art supplies allow the child to draw images that come into the mind. This can help the child develop symbols and then verbalize reactions to illness and hospitalization. The child can make gifts and drawings for parents, but the goal is to allow expression of feelings. Although art is developmentally and situationally appropriate, the child benefits by being able to express feelings nonverbally. The art supplies are not therapeutic play but a mechanism for expressive play. The child will not work on past problems.

The nurse is doing a prehospitalization orientation for a girl, age 7 years, who is scheduled for cardiac surgery. As part of the preparation, the nurse explains that after the surgery, the child will be in the intensive care unit. How might the explanation by the nurse be viewed? a. Unnecessary b. The surgeon's responsibility c. Too stressful for a young child d. An appropriate part of the child's preparation

ANS: D The explanation is a necessary part of preoperative preparation and will help reduce the anxiety associated with surgery. If the child wakes in the intensive care unit and is not prepared for the environment, she will be even more anxious. This is a joint responsibility of nursing, medical staff, and child life personnel.

The nurse is instructing student nurses about the stress of hospitalization for children from middle infancy throughout the preschool years. What major stress should the nurse relate to the students? a. Pain b. Bodily injury c. Loss of control d. Separation anxiety

ANS: D The major stress from middle infancy throughout the preschool years, especially for children ages 6 to 30 months, is separation anxiety.

The psychosexual conflicts of preschool children make them extremely vulnerable to which threat? a. Loss of control b. Loss of identity c. Separation anxiety d. Bodily injury and pain

ANS: D The psychosexual conflicts of children in this age group make them vulnerable to threats of bodily injury. Intrusive procedures, whether painful or painless, are threatening to preschoolers, whose concept of body integrity is still poorly developed. Loss of control, loss of identity, and separation anxiety are not related to psychosexual conflicts

A spinal tap must be done on a 9-year-old boy. While he is waiting in the treatment room, the nurse observes that he seems composed. When the nurse asks him if he wants his mother to stay with him, he says, "I am fine." How should the nurse interpret this situation? a. This child is unusually brave. b. He has learned that support does not help. c. Nine-year-old boys do not usually want a parent present during the procedure. d. Children in this age group often do not request support even though they need and want it.

ANS: D The school-age child's visible composure, calmness, and acceptance often mask an inner longing for support. Children of this age have a more passive approach to pain and an indirect request for support. It is especially important to be aware of nonverbal cues such as facial expression, silence, and lack of activity. Usually when someone identifies the unspoken messages, the child will readily accept support.

Because of their striving for independence and productivity, which age group of children is particularly vulnerable to events that may lessen their feeling of control and power? a. Infants b. Toddlers c. Preschoolers d. School-age children

ANS: D When a child is hospitalized, the altered family role, physical disability, loss of peer acceptance, lack of productivity, and inability to cope with stress usurp individual power and identity. This is especially detrimental to school-age children, who are striving for independence and productivity and are now experiencing events that decrease their control and power. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, although affected by loss of power, are not as significantly affected as school-age children.