A baby was dehydrated because of diarrhea. The mother explained that she had finally gone to a folk healer who told her to give the baby herbal tea, which did seem to be helping a bit, but the baby still seemed ill

Question

Which of the following statements would be the most appropriate reply by the nurse?
a.
"Folk healers cannot cure such problems; let me give you appropriate fluids for your baby."
b.
"Let's go back to feeding the baby formula, and see how the baby does."
c.
"You continue to give the baby herbal tea, but let's put some sugar and salt in the tea."
d.
"Your healer is correct; fluids are crucial for your baby. Let me give you some special fluids for you to give the baby."

Answer 1

ANS: D
Rejecting the folk healer's advice may cause the mother not to trust Western medicine. If possible, the nurse should build on what the mother is doing. It is usually helpful to include any behaviors that may be helpful or neutral in effect. In this case, the mother is encouraging fluid, which is crucial, and tea is boiled, so the water is clearly safe. Just adding salt and sugar is risky because of the need for careful measurement. Nothing in the example suggests the nurse recognizes what kind of tea is being given. It is easier to give the mother fluids with the appropriate electrolytes while supporting at least some aspect of the healer's advice. It must be remembered that most indigenous healing practices are innocuous.