A patient had wrapped a tummy band around her newborn’s abdomen. What

A patient had wrapped a tummy band around her newborn’s abdomen. What should the nurse say to the new mother?

a. “Can you explain to me the purpose of wrapping a band around the baby’s tummy?”
b. “In the hospital, we prefer to expose the umbilical cord to air so it’s easier to put medication on it as it dries up.”
c. “Let me put some medication on the baby’s cord, and then I’ll put the tummy band back.”
d. “Please remove that band; it is not helpful as the umbilical cord needs to be kept clean and dry.”

ESSAYBID ANSWER

ANS: A
Unless a particular action is harmful, the nurse should engage in culture care preservation and maintenance. Before acting, it is helpful to know why the mother is engaging in this behavior. If the mother responds, “I’m not sure; it’s just always been done,” the nurse can educate the mother on how to care for the cord. If the mother appears to believe the tummy band is very important, the nurse can cooperate with the behavior, because tummy bands will not hurt the baby.