A child with hemophilia requires frequent emergency infusions of antihemophilic factor replacement therapy (AHF)

Question

The mother becomes distraught during one infusion and starts crying, saying "It's all my fault my child has to suffer so!" An appropriate intervention by the nurse would be to a. call the social worker to come sit with the mother during the infusion.
b. explain to the mother that it was the father who gave the child hemophilia.
c. gently remind the mother that she cannot control genetics.
d. offer resources to teach the mother home AHF infusion technique.

Answer 1

D
The mother is feeling guilty and powerless. Offering her the opportunity to learn to give the AHF infusions at home might give her some control back. Prophylactic infusions at home decreases bleeding episodes and complications with the result that the client misses less time at school or work and suffers fewer complications. Hemophilia is an X-linked genetic defect. Males do not transmit the defect to their sons, but all their daughters will be carriers. A social worker could come sit with the mother and offer support, but this avoids the nurse's responsibility to the mother. Reminding the mother she cannot control genetics is dismissive and unhelpful.