Which nursing action is most appropriate to gain information about how a child is feeling?
- Actively attempt to make friends with the child before asking about her feelings.
- Ask the child’s parents what feelings she has expressed in regard to her diagnosis.
- Provide the child with some paper to draw a picture of how she is feeling.
- Ask the child direct questions about how she is feeling.
- Often children will include much more detail about their feelings in drawings. They will often express things in pictures they are unable to verbalize.
Which statement would indicate to the nurse that a school-age child is not developmentally on track for age?
- The child is able to follow a four- to five-step command.
- The child started wetting the bed on admission to the hospital.
- The child has an imaginary friend named Kelly.
- The child enjoys playing board games with her sister
- Most school-age children do not have imaginary friends. This is much more common for children of 3 and 4 years of age.
Which statement accurately describes how the nurse should approach an 11-year-old to do a physical assessment?
- Ask the child’s parents to remain in the room during the physical exam.
- Auscultate the heart, lungs, and abdomen first.
- Explain that the physical exam will not hurt.
- Explain what the nurse will be doing in basic understandable terms
- School-age children are capable of understanding basic functions of the body and can understand what the nurse will be doing if explained in basic terms.
Which is the best method of distraction for an 8-year-old who is having surgery later today and is NPO?
- Use the telephone to call friends.
- Watch television.
- Play a board game.
- Read the central line pamphlet he was given.
- A board game is the optimal choice because school-age children enjoy being engaged in an activity with others that will require some skill and challenge.
Which activity can the nurse provide for a 9-year-old to encourage a sense of industry?
- Allow the child to choose what time to take his medication.
- Provide the child with the homework his teacher has sent.
- Allow the child to assist with his bath.
- Allow the child to help with his dressing change.
- The school-age child is focused on academic performance; therefore, the child can achieve a sense of industry by completing his homework and staying on track with his classmates.
The mother of 11-year-old fraternal twins tells the nurse at their well-child checkup that she is concerned because her daughter has gained more weight and height than her twin brother. The mother is concerned that there is something wrong with her son. The nurse’s best response is:
- “I understand your concern. I will talk with the physician, and we can draw some lab work.”
- “Let me ask you whether your son has been ill lately.” 3. “It is normal for girls to grow a little taller and gain more weight than boys at this age.”
- “It is normal for you to be concerned, but I am sure your son will catch up with your daughter eventually.”
- This is the appropriate response. The nurse understands that it is normal for girls to grow taller and gain more weight than boys near the end of middle childhood.
A 9-year-old girl builds a clubhouse in her backyard. She hangs a sign outside her clubhouse that says “No boys allowed” printed on it. The child’s parents are concerned that she is excluding their neighbor’s son, and they are upset. What should the school nurse tell the child’s parents?
- Her behavior is cause for concern and should be addressed.
- Her behavior is common among school-age children. 3. Her feelings about boys will subside within the next year.
- They should have their daughter speak with the school counselor.
- This is common behavior. Girls of 9 and 10 generally prefer to have friends who are of the same gender.
What information should a school nurse include in a discussion on nutrition with a fourth-grade class?
- The number of calories that a fourth-grade child should consume in a day.
- A list of high-calorie foods that all fourth-graders should avoid.
- How to read food labels so children know which foods are good for them.
- A list of nutritious foods with basic scientific information about how they affect the body organs and systems
- Reviewing nutritious choices keeps the lesson on a positive note, and school-age children are very interested in how food affects their bodies. They are capable of understanding basic medical terminology.
Which technique should the nurse suggest to the mother of an 8-year-old who does not want to complete her chores?
- Grounding.
- Time-out.
- Reward system.
- Spanking.
- School-age children usually respond very well to a reward system and often enjoy the rewards so much that they will continue chores without continual reminders.
Which should the nurse recommend to the parents of a 9-year-old hospitalized following a bicycle injury? To prevent future injury, their child should:
- Wear safety equipment while riding bicycles.
- Read educational material on bicycle safety.
- Watch a video on bicycle safety.
- Ride his bike in the presence of adults.
- Safety equipment is essential for bicycling, skateboarding, and participating in contact sports. Most injuries occur during the school-age years, when children are more active and participate in contact sports.
