The nurse is implementing interventions to prevent physical stressors for a 9-year-old child receiving chemotherapy in the hospital. What is an example of using atraumatic care for this child?

Question

A) Use restraint or 'holding down' of the child during the procedure to prevent injury.
B) Have the parent stand near and/or rub the child's feet during the procedure.
C) Insert a saline lock if the child will require multiple doses of parenteral medications.
D) Avoid using numbing techniques for multiple blood draws or IV insertion.

Answer 1

Ans: C
The nurse should insert a saline lock if the child will require multiple doses of parenteral medications. During painful or invasive procedures, the nurse should avoid traditional restraint or "holding down" of the child and use alternative positioning such as "therapeutic hugging." If therapeutic hugging is not an option, the nurse could have the parent stand near the child's head not his feet to provide visual and verbal comfort. The nurse should also use numbing techniques for blood draws or IV insertion.