Final answer:
The most unexpected reaction a nurse would view among the options provided is the child and family refusing all education and support, which contradicts typical attachment patterns and the search for reassurance during stressful events like hospitalization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question presented involves understanding how a child and their family might react to hospitalization and which reaction the nurse would view as unexpected. Among the options provided:
- The child and family show minimal signs of anxiety.
- The child and family refuse all education and support.
- The child seems overly excited about the hospital stay.
- The parents choose to leave to let the child build a relationship with the staff.
Attachment theory suggests that children have varying reactions to separation from parents based on their prior experiences and relationship with their caregivers. The least expected reaction in this scenario, based on attachment theory, would be b. The child and family refuse all education and support, as it is contrary to the supportive nature generally sought from caregivers during stressful experiences like hospitalization.
In line with developmental psychology, children tend to exhibit stranger anxiety and usually prefer familiar caregivers, especially in times of stress. This is expected during a child's first hospitalization. In cases of avoidant attachment, the child is less responsive to the parent and does not seek comfort from them when distressed. However, outright refusal of education and support by both child and family is an unusual behavior, especially during a first hospitalization where anxiety would typically prompt a search for information and reassurance.