The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child in the school nurse’s offi

QUESTION

The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child in the school nurse’s office because the child received a bloody nose in a scuffle with another child during recess.

The nurse discovers that the child’s parents have recently divorced. The nurse recognizes that the child

a. still has both parents and should not be experiencing a sense of loss.
b. has gotten over his grief because he is able to play outside.
c. needs to be referred for grief counseling.
d. demonstrates behavior that is a common response when grieving.

ANSWER:

ANS: D
Children don’t express their grief in the same way as adults. Acting out, anger, fear, and crying are common responses, which appear spontaneously. Divorce is a significant loss to a child. Children express their grief differently from adults; they can be sad one minute and then playing the next. The child may need counseling in the future if the behavior continues and if the parents are unable to help him work through the emotional turmoil, but this is not an initial intervention.