Question

A pediatric nurse is conducting a preadmission orientation program for children who will be having surgery at her facility. A school-age child is scheduled to have his tonsils removed in a few days. The nurse hears the child ask his parents why they are at the facility, and the parents tell the child he will be visiting the facility in a few days. The child is confused and asks more questions, which the parents ignore. How can the nurse address the issue of the lack of communication between the parents and the child?

Please answer this question in no less than 300 words.

Answer 1

Any pediatric nurse is expected to be an expert communicator both with the parents as well as the children, which plays a pivotal part in their excellence as a care provider and as a cure provider. As a professional conducting a preadmission orientation program for children who will be having surgery at her facility, the pediatric nurse knows the dos’ and don’ts’ of communicating with these children and their parents. She is well versed in pediatric communication as well as psychology and can act as an intermediary between parents and the school-age child who is scheduled to have his tonsils removed in a few days. She can use these professional skills to communicate with the child and clear his doubts like why they are at the facility and explain his illness through an animated conversation. She can also have the same method of communication with the child regarding his visit to the facility in a few days to remove his tonsils. Giving the child a treat at each visit and allowing him to play in the play area will make him less scared. Encouraging the child is another aspect in successful pediatric communication. She can also tell him about the merits of each hospital visit and that he can join them later as a professional when he completes his studies. She can also add that each hospital visit would make him healthier and wiser, which could help him in his studies. The nurse can also advise the parents that they should not ignore a child’s doubts about the visit, illness etc. If they do so, the child will become more confused and could become more irritable. This irritability could lead to more issues for the parents, the child, and the caregivers. This could make the situation even worse with the child’s refusal to even visit the facility.