Final answer:
Signs of overvigilance in a family with a child suffering from cystic fibrosis indicate ineffective family coping and require urgent intervention to prevent burnout and emotional distress. Nurses must provide education, counseling, and effective coping strategies to improve the family's quality of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the psychosocial impacts of chronic illnesses like cystic fibrosis is critical in pediatric nursing. When a family becomes overvigilant in the case of a child with cystic fibrosis, it means they are excessively watchful and perhaps anxious about the child's health status. This overvigilance is an indicator of ineffective family coping and can lead to burnout, increased family stress, and can negatively affect the child if the anxiety becomes evident. Urgent intervention is needed when this behavior disrupts family dynamics or the child's normal routine excessively, or when it begins to take a toll on the emotional or physical health of the family members.
In providing care for the 14-month-old boy with cystic fibrosis, it's important for nurses to assess not just the physical signs of the disease but also the family's coping strategies. The family might require education about the disease, counseling support, and connections to resources for long-term management and support. Furthermore, interventions should be aimed at promoting effective coping mechanisms that encourage appropriate care without excessive anxiety, thereby improving the quality of life for both the child and his family.