Question

A 12-year-old child is admitted for an emergency appendectomy and rushed into surgery. The parents tell the nurse that they also have a 4-year-old son at home and wonder if they should tell him about his older brother being in the hospital. The best response by the nurse to this query would be to?

a. Tell the parents to refrain from telling the 4-year-old as he will not be able to understand the concepts of hospitalization and surgery.
b. Have the parents go home and bring their 4-year-old back to the hospital so he can be present throughout this family stress experience.
c. It is important to tell their 4-year-old son about his older brother using words and terms that he can understand at his age.
d. Have the parents bring their son in during visiting hours and arrange for a tour of the hospital unit.

Answer 1

Parents should inform their 4-year-old about their older child's hospitalization using age-appropriate language, providing reassurance and maintaining family unity during the stressful event.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response by the nurse to the parents wondering if they should tell their 4-year-old son about his older brother being in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy is c. It is important to tell their 4-year-old son about his older brother using words and terms that he can understand at his age. Children at this age can often sense when something is amiss in the family and might benefit from an explanation that is tailored to their level of understanding. A simple explanation that avoids overly technical terms can help reassure the child and maintain a sense of family cohesion during a stressful time.