A pediatric nurse is educating parents about how children cope with ho

QUESTION

A pediatric nurse is educating parents about how children cope with hospitalization. Which of the following statements by the nurse is correct?

a. “The quiet, compliant child who never complains is comfortable on the nursing unit.”
b. “The child who screams and cries is much more frightened of hospitalization than the quiet child.”
c. “The 2-year-old child who asks for a bedtime bottle is showing signs of regression.”
d. “The child who screams and cries may be less frightened than the quiet, overly compliant child who never complains.”

ANSWER:

ANS: D
Because children have limited life experience to draw from, they exhibit a narrower range of behaviors in coping with threat. The quiet, overly compliant child who does not complain may be more frightened than the child who screams or cries. The nurse needs to obtain detailed information regarding the usual behavioral responses of the family and child. Some behaviors that look regressive may be a typical behavioral response for the child (e.g., the 2-year-old who wants a bedtime bottle).