Peds Chapter 35 Key Pediatric Nursing Interventions, Peds Chapter 36: Nursing Care of the Child with an Alteration in Comfort-Pain Assessment and Management

The nurse is providing teaching to the parents of a newborn prior to a heelstick. The nurse is describing the procedure and recommending various methods for the parents to help comfort their baby. Which statement by the parents indicates a need for further teaching? A) "It's better if we are not in the room for this." B) "We can use kangaroo care before and after." C) "We hope you are using a very tiny needle." D) "We can offer him nonnutritive sucking to calm him."

Ans: A Feedback: Unless contraindicated, the parents should be encouraged to be present before, during, and after the procedure to provide comforting support to the child. Kangaroo care, small-gauge needles, and nonnutritive sucking are other methods to provide atraumatic care.

The nurse is researching behavioral-cognitive pain relief strategies to use on a 5-year-old child with unrelieved pain. Which methods might the nurse choose? Select all that apply. A) Relaxation B) Distraction C) Thought stopping D) Massage E) Sucking

Ans: A, B, C Feedback: Common behavioral-cognitive strategies include relaxation, distraction, imagery, thought stopping, and positive self-talk. Sucking and massage are examples of biophysical interventions.

The nurse caring for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) relies on the use of behavioral and physiologic indicators for determining pain. Which examples are behavioral indicators? Select all that apply. A) The infant grimaces. C) The infant flails his arms and legs. E) The infant is crying uncontrollably.

Ans: A, C, E Feedback: In preterm and term newborns, behavioral and physiologic indicators are used for determining pain. Behavioral indicators include facial expression, body movements, and crying. Physiologic indicators include changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels, vagal tone, palmar sweating, and plasma cortisol or catecholamine levels.

When the nurse is assessing a child's pain, which is most important? A) Obtaining a pain rating from the child with each assessment B) Using the same tool to assess the child's pain each time C) Documenting the child's pain assessment D) Asking the parents about the child's pain tolerance

Ans: B Feedback: Although obtaining a pain rating, documenting the assessment, and asking the child's parents about the pain are important, the most important aspect of pain assessment is to use the same tool each time so that appropriate comparisons can be made and effective interventions can be planned and implemented. Consistency allows the most accurate assessment of the child's pain.

The nurse is caring for a child who reports chronic pain. What is the priority nursing assessment? A) How the pain impacts the child's and family's stress level B) The pain's history, onset, intensity, duration, and location C) The child's and parents' feeling of anxiety and depression D) The child's cognitive level and emotional response

Ans: B Feedback: Assessment of the child's pain is key; it is the priority assessment and is the only answer that focuses on the child's physiologic need. Assessment of how the pain impacts the child's and family's stress, feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and depression, as well as the child's cognitive level and emotional response, are secondary after the pain is explored.

The nurse tells a joke to a 12-year-old to distract him from a painful procedure. What pain management technique is the nurse using? A) Relaxation B) Distraction C) Imagery D) Thought stopping

Ans: B Feedback: Distraction involves having the child focus on another stimulus, thereby attempting to shield him from pain. Humor has been demonstrated to be an effective distracting technique for pain management.

The nurse is explaining the effects of heat application for pain relief. Which effect would the nurse be likely to include? A) Decreased blood flow to the area B) Increased pressure on nociceptive fibers C) Possible release of endogenous opioids D) Altered capillary permeability

Ans: B Feedback: Heat causes an increase in blood flow. This alters capillary permeability, leading to a reduction in swelling and pressure on nociceptive fibers. Heat also may trigger the release of endogenous opioids, which mediate the pain response.

The nurse is administering pain medication for a child with continuous pain from internal injuries. Which method would be ordered to dispense the medication? A) Administer the medication PRN (as needed). B) Administer the mediation when pain has peaked. C) Administer the medication around the clock at timed intervals. D) Administer the medication when the child complains of pain.

Ans: C Feedback: With any medication administered for pain management, the timing of administration is vital. Timing depends on the type of pain. For continuous pain, the current recommendation is to administer analgesia around the clock at scheduled intervals to achieve the necessary effect. As-needed or PRN dosing is not recommended for continuous pain. This method can lead to inadequate pain relief because of the delay before the drug reaches its peak effectiveness. For pain that can be predicted or considered temporary, such as with a procedure, analgesia is administered so that the peak action of the drug matches the time of the painful event. It is not recommended to wait until the child complains of pain because therapeutic levels will be difficult to reach at this point.

Which tool would be the least appropriate scale for the nurse to use when assessing a 4-year-old child's pain? A) FACES pain rating scale B) Oucher pain rating scale C) Poker chip tool D) Numeric pain intensity scale

Ans: D Feedback: The numeric pain intensity scale can be used with children as young as 5 years of age, but the preferred minimum age for using this tool is 7 years. The FACES and Oucher pain rating scales and the poker chip tool are appropriate pain assessment tools for a 4-year-old.

The nurse is monitoring a child who has received epidural analgesia with morphine. The nurse is careful to monitor for which adverse effect of the medication? A) Epidural hematoma B) Arachnoiditis C) Spinal headache D) Respiratory depression

Ans: D Feedback: The nurse needs to monitor for signs of respiratory depression, a potential adverse effect of the opioid medication. Epidural hematoma, arachnoiditis, and spinal headache are potential adverse effects of the insertion of the epidural catheter.

The nurse uses the FLACC behavioral scale to assess a 6-year-old's level of postoperative pain and obtains a score of 9. The nurse interprets this to indicate that the child is experiencing: A) little to no pain. B) mild pain. C) moderate pain. D) severe pain.

Ans: D Feedback: With the FLACC behavioral scale, five parameters are measured and scored as 0, 1, or 2. They are then totaled to achieve a maximum score of 10. The higher the score, the greater the pain. A score of 9 indicates severe pain.

The nurse is administering a crushed tablet to an 18-month-old infant. What is a recommended guideline for this intervention? A)Mix the crushed tablet with a small amount of applesauce. B)Place the crushed tablet in the infant's formula. C)Mix the crushed tablet with the infant's cereal. D)Crushed tablets should only be mixed with water.

Ans:A If a tablet or capsule is the only oral form available for children younger than 6 years, it needs to be crushed or opened and mixed with a pleasant-tasting liquid or a small amount (generally no more than a tablespoon) of a nonessential food such as applesauce. The crushed tablet or inside of a capsule may taste bitter, so it should never be mixed with formula or other essential foods. Otherwise, the child may associate the bitter taste with the food and later refuse to eat it.

The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who has multisystem trauma due to a motor vehicle accident. The child is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). What is a recommended nursing intervention for children on TPN? A)Initially, check blood glucose levels frequently, such as every 4 to 6 hours, to evaluate for hyperglycemia. B)Be vigilant in monitoring the infusion rate, change the rate as necessary, and report any changes to the physician or nurse practitioner. C)If for any reason the TPN infusion is interrupted or stops, begin an infusion of a 10% saline at the same infusion rate as the TPN. D)Administer TPN continuously over an 8-hour period, or after initiation it may be given on a cyclic basis, such as over a 12-hour period during the night.

Ans:A Initially, the nurse should check blood glucose levels frequently, such as every 4 to 6 hours, to evaluate for hyperglycemia. Throughout TPN therapy, the nurse should be vigilant in monitoring the infusion rate, and report any changes in the infusion rate to the physician or nurse practitioner immediately. Adjustments may be made to the rate, but only as ordered by the physician or nurse practitioner. If for any reason the TPN infusion is interrupted or stops, the nurse should begin an infusion of a 10% dextrose solution at the same infusion rate as the TPN. TPN can be administered continuously over a 24-hour period, or after initiation it may be given on a cyclic basis, such as over a 12-hour period during the night.

The nurse is preparing to administer insulin to a diabetic child. Which would be the recommended route for this administration? A)Subcutaneous B)Intradermal C)Intramuscular D)Oral

Ans:A Subcutaneous (SQ) administration distributes medication into the fatty layers of the body. It is used primarily for insulin administration, heparin, and certain immunizations, such as MMR. Intradermal administration is used primarily for tuberculosis screening and allergy testing. Intramuscular administration is used to administer certain medications, such as many immunizations. Insulin is not administered orally.

A physician orders a medication dosage that is above the normal dosage. The nurse administers the medication without questioning the dosage. What error did the nurse make? A)The nurse violated one of the "rights" of medication administration. B)The nurse performed an act outside the scope of practice for nursing. C)The nurse has not made an error, but the physician did by ordering the wrong dosage of medication. D)The nurse has committed an act of maleficence by administering the medication.

Ans:A The nurse violated one of the "rights" of medication administration, the right dosage, because the nurse is responsible for being aware and questioning an incorrect dosage of medication. Medication administration is within the scope of nursing practice. Maleficence is performing a harmful act intentionally.

The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old girl who requires medication that is only available in an enteric tablet form. The nurse is teaching the mother how to help the girl swallow the medication. Which statement indicates a need for further teaching? A)"I can encourage her to place it on the back of her tongue." B)"I can pinch her nose to make it easier to swallow." C)"We cannot crush this type of pill as it will affect the delivery of the medication." D)"We can place the tablet in a spoonful of applesauce."

Ans:B The mother should be advised to never pinch the child's nose as it increases the risk for aspiration. The other statements are correct.

The nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a 5-year-old who weighs 35 pounds. The prescribed single dose is 1 to 2 mg/kg/day. Which is the appropriate dose range for this child? A)8 to 16 mg B)16 to 32 mg C)35 to 70 mg D)70 to 140 mg

Ans:B The nurse should convert the child's weight in pounds to kilograms by dividing the child's weight in pounds by 2.2. (35 pounds divided by 2.2 = 16 kg). The nurse would then multiply the child's weight in kilograms by 1 mg for the low end (16 kg × 1 mg = 16 mg) and then by 2 mg for the high end (16 kg × 2 mg = 32 mg).

The nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection to an 8-month-old infant. Which site would the nurse select? A)Rectus femoris B)Vastus lateralis C)Dorsogluteal muscle D)Deltoid

Ans:B The preferred injection site in infants is the vastus lateralis muscle. An alternative site is the rectus femoris. The dorsogluteal site is not used in children until the child has been walking for at least 1 year. The deltoid muscle is used as a site in children after the age of 4 or 5 years.

The parents of a child receiving total parenteral nutrition ask the nurse why their child must have their blood glucose monitored so frequently since they are not diabetic. What is the best response by the nurse? A)"We like to keep a close check on the blood glucose for all children receiving total parenteral nutrition." B)"It is important to monitor the blood glucose level because the solution has a high concentration of carbohydrates that convert to glucose." C)"This is a good time for us to monitor your child in case they start developing signs of diabetes related to receiving total parenteral nutrition." D)"I would suggest you ask the physician why blood glucose checks have been ordered so frequently."

Ans:B Total parenteral nutrition has a high concentration of carbohydrates, which convert to glucose. Informing the parents that this is the reason for frequent monitoring of the blood glucose adequately addresses their question. It is routine for any patient receiving total parenteral nutrition to have frequent monitoring of blood glucose, but this does not answer the parent's question. There is no need to monitor a child for diabetes without reason. There is no reason to suggest asking the physician when this question can be answered by the nurse.

The nurse is monitoring the output for a 10-year-old child. The medical record indicates the child weighs 78 pounds. How much urine can be anticipated for this child for a 12-hour period? A)300 to 1200 mL B)360 to 900 mL C)420 to 840 mL D)600 to 1200 mL

Ans:C 1. 78 pounds = 35kg 2. 1 mL X 35kg = 35 mL/hr and 2 mL X 35 = 70 mL/hr 3. 35 mL X 12 hours = 420 mL 4. 70 mL X 12 hours = 840 mL Urinary output for a child will vary. As a general rule, output anticipated will be approximately 1.0 to 2.0 mL/kg/hour for children and adolescents. In a child who weighs 78 pounds, this will calculate as follows: (the rest of this was not available)

The nurse is administering immunizations to children in a neighborhood clinic. What is the most frequent route of administration? A)Oral B)Intradermal C)Intramuscular D)Topical

Ans:C Intramuscular (IM) administration delivers medication to the muscle. In children, this method of medication administration is used infrequently because it is painful and children often lack adequate muscle mass for medication absorption. However, IM administration is used to administer certain medications, such as many immunizations.

The nurse is explaining to the student nurse the therapeutic effects of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). What accurately describes the use of TPN? A)It is used short term to supply additional calories and nutrients as needed. B)It is delivered via the peripheral vein to allow rapid dilution of hypertonic solution. C)It is a highly concentrated solution of carbohydrates, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. D)It is usually used when the child's nutritional status is within acceptable parameters.

Ans:C TPN is a highly concentrated solution of carbohydrates, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. TPN provides all nutrients to meet a child's needs. It is delivered via central venous access to allow rapid dilution of hypertonic solution. It is usually used in a child with a nonfunctioning gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as a congenital or acquired GI disorder; a child with severe failure to thrive or multisystem trauma or organ involvement; and preterm newborns.

The nurse is preparing to administer oral ampicillin to a child who weighs 40 kg. The safe dose for children is 50 to 100 mg/kg/day divided in doses administered every 6 hours. What would be the low single safe dose and high single safe dose per day for this child? A)50 to 100 mg per dose B)100 to 500 mg per dose C)500 to 1,000 mg per dose D)1,000 to 5,000 mg per dose

Ans:C To calculate the dosage, the nurse would set up a proportion to calculate the low dose as follows: 50 mg/1 kg = x mg/40 kg; solve for x by cross-multiplying: 1 × x = 50 × 40; x = 2,000 mg divided by 4 doses per day = 500 mg. Then calculate the high safe dose range using the following proportion: 100 mg/1 kg = x mg/40 kg; solve for x by cross-multiplying: 1 × x = 100 × 40; x = 4,000 mg divided by 4 doses per day = 1,000 mg.

When describing the differences affecting the pharmacokinetics of drugs administered to children, which would the nurse include? A)Oral drugs are absorbed more quickly in children than adults. B)Absorption of intramuscularly administered drugs is fairly constant. C)Topical drugs are absorbed more quickly in young children than adults. D)Absorption of drugs administered by subcutaneous injection is increased.

Ans:C Topical absorption of drugs is increased in infants and young children because the stratum corneum is thinner and well hydrated. The absorption of oral drugs is slowed by slower gastric emptying, increased intestinal motility, a proportionately larger small intestine surface area, high gastric pH, and decreased lipase and amylase secretion. The absorption of drugs given intramuscularly or subcutaneously is erratic and may be decreased.

The nurse is administering acetaminophen PRN to a 9-year-old child on the pediatric ward of the hospital. Which answers reflect nursing actions that follow the rules of the 'eight rights' of pediatric medication administration? Select all that apply. C)The nurse checks the documented time of the last dosage administered. D)The nurse calculates the dosage according to the child's weight. E)The nurse explains the therapeutic effects of the medication to the child and parents.

Ans:C, D, E Following the 'right patient' rule, the nurse checks the documented time of the last dosage administered. For the 'right dose,' the nurse calculates the dosage according to the child's weight. For the 'right to be educated,' the nurse explains the therapeutic effects of the medication to the child and parents. To ensure the 'right patient,' the nurse confirms the child's identity and then checks with the caregivers for further identification. To administer at the 'right time,' the nurse gives the medication within 20 to 30 minutes of the ordered time, and to protect the child's 'right to refuse,' the nurse respects the child's or parents' option to refuse.

The nurse is administering a liquid medication to a 3-year-old using an oral syringe. Which action would be most appropriate? A)Direct the liquid toward the anterior side of the mouth. B)Keep the child's hand away from the oral syringe when squirting the medication. C)Give all of the drug in the syringe at one time with one squirt. D)Allow the child time to swallow the medication in between amounts.

Ans:D When using an oral syringe to administer liquid medications, give the drug slowly in small amounts and allow the child to swallow before placing more medication in the mouth. The syringe is directed toward the posterior side of the mouth. The toddler or young preschooler may enjoy helping by squirting the medication into his or her mouth.

The nurse caring for a 6-year-old patient enters the room to administer an oral medication in the form of a pill. The dad at the bedside looks at the pill and tells the nurse that his daughter has a hard time swallowing pills. Which of the following is the best response by the nurse? A)Ask the child to try swallowing the pill and offer a choice of drinks to take with it. B)Crush the pill and add it to applesauce. C)Request that the physician prescribe the medication in liquid form. D)Call the pharmacy and ask if the pill can be crushed.

Ans:D The father is the best source of knowledge on medication administration for the child. The pharmacy should be called to determine if the pill might be crushed. Asking the child to try swallowing the pill disregards the information the father has just given. Requesting that the physician order the medication in liquid form is not necessary at this point.

The nurse is determining the amount of IV fluids to administer in a 24-hour period to a child who weighs 40 kg. How many milliliters should the nurse administer? A)1,000 mL B)1,500 mL C)1,750 mL D)1,900 mL

Ans:D Typically, the amount of fluid to be administered in a day (24 hours) is determined by the child's weight (in kg) using the following formula: 100 mL per kg of body weight for the first 10 kg (1,000) 50 mL per kg of body weight for the next 10 kg (500) 20 mL per kg of body weight for the remainder of body weight in kg (400).