Question

after having a blood sample drawn, a 5-year-old child insists that the site be covered with a bandage. when the parent tries to remove the bandage before leaving the office, the child screams that all the blood will come out. the nurse encourages the parent to leave the bandage in place and tells the parent that the child's reaction is based on which factor?

Answer 1

The 5-year-old child's fear that removing the bandage will lead to all the blood coming out is based on developmental misconceptions about the body. The nurse's advice to leave the bandage recognizes the child's psychological needs and developmental stage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The child's insistence on keeping the bandage on the site where a blood sample was taken and the fear that removing the bandage will result in all the blood coming out is based on the child's cognitive development. This reaction is age-appropriate as young children may have misconceptions about bodily functions and may not fully understand the purpose and function of a bandage yet.

The nurse's recommendation to leave the bandage in place is an acknowledgement of the child's developmental stage and psychological comfort. It's important to monitor the site of a wound for increased redness, swelling, and pain because these can be signs of infection. Following a breach in the skin's protective barrier, such as a cut or abrasion, the body is at risk of being exposed to pathogens that can cause infection, and the wound-healing process must be carefully managed to prevent complications.