Question

Kimberly, age 3 years, is being admitted for about 1 week of hospitalization. Her parents tell the nurse that they are going to buy her ""a lot of new toys, because she will be in the hospital."" The nurse's reply should be based on an understanding of which concept?

A. New toys make hospitalization easier.
B. New toys are usually better than older ones for children of this age.
C. At this age, children often need the comfort and reassurance of familiar toys from home.
D. Buying new toys for a hospitalized child is a maladaptive way to cope with parental guilt.

Answer 1

The nurse should understand that familiar toys from home are comforting and reassuring for a child Kimberly's age, and they are more likely to ease her feelings during hospitalization than new toys.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's response should be based on the understanding that at this age, children often need the comfort and reassurance of familiar toys from home. While new toys may seem like a delightful distraction, they are not always better than the possessions that children have already developed attachments to. Given that toddlers are in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development according to Piaget, they learn about the world through their senses and by forming attachments to familiar objects that provide comfort and consistency.

Moreover, amidst the new and potentially intimidating experience of hospitalization, familiar toys can serve as a source of security and stability for a three-year-old child. They represent the known and can help mitigate feelings of stranger anxiety and unease in an unfamiliar hospital setting. Thus, encouraging parents to bring personal toys from home is more likely to ease the child's hospital stay than the introduction of new toys.