The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who is scheduled for outpatient surgery. Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that the nurse can help the child cope with the stressors of this hospital experience best by:

Question

1. Arranging for the parents to be with the child until the anesthetic takes affect
2. Explaining the entire process with the child using age-appropriate language
3. Using play as a means of familiarizing the child with the events he will experience
4. Providing the child with a coloring book that shows the events he will be experi-encing

Answer 1

ANS: 3
Play becomes a primary means by which children foster their cognitive development and learn about the world. Nursing interventions during this period will recognize the use of play as the way the child understands the events taking place. You will assist parents in the use of play ma-terials such as thermometers, blood pressure equipment, and play needles that will allow children to communicate feelings about health care procedures they experience. Arranging for the parents to be with the child until the anesthetic takes affect may be an appropriate intervention but it does not reflect effective care suggested by Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Explaining the entire process with the child using age-appropriate language would be more appropriate for the older child. Providing the child with a coloring book that shows the events he will be experi-encing