Final answer:
The nurse should explain the father's return in terms familiar to the child's routine, such as associating it with mealtime or stating he will return in the morning if those times are accurate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The appropriate statement the nurse should make to explain to the preschooler when their father will return is dependent on the actual time that the father intends to come back. Preschool children do not fully understand the concept of time, so it is best to associate the return of the parent with a familiar event or routine.
For example, if the father will return after the child's meal, the nurse should say: "Your daddy will be back after you eat". If he's coming back in the morning, it would be: "Your daddy will be back in the morning". It's important to use terms and events that are part of the child's daily routine to help them understand when their father will return.