The nurse is caring for an active 14-year-old boy who has recently been diagnosed with scoliosis. He is dismayed that a "jock" like himself could have this condition, and is afraid it will impact his spot on the water polo team
Which response by the nurse would best address the boy's concerns?
A) "If you wear your brace properly, you may not need surgery."
B) "The good news is that you have very minimal curvature of your spine."
C) "Let's talk to another boy with scoliosis, who is winning trophies for his swim team."
D) "Let's talk to the doctor about your treatment options."
Ans: C
Because this boy is concerned about limiting his participation in water polo and perceives scoliosis as a disease that does not affect "jocks," putting the child in contact with someone with the same problem would be helpful. Telling the adolescent about not needing surgery if he wears his brace or that his curvature is minimal may or may not be true in his case and thus would be false reassurance. Although these suggestions and also the suggestion about talking to the doctor about treatment options could be helpful by engaging his input in the treatment, these do not address his specific concerns about his body image.
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