The Primary Care Clinic located in Children's Hospital is dedicated to the care
of children. It is a place where children can be examined for routine physicals
and sick visits. It is convenient because it is open until 9:00pm so children
can be seen in the evening. This experience demonstrates that there are many
differences in treatment of children and adults. T.T., a three year old male,
was seen first. He was visiting the clinic due to a high temperature,
39.6oF(Jarvis,1996). Despite his fever, T.T. was very energetic. He was talking
and playing. On observation enlarged tonsils, a strawberry tongue, and a rash on
his torso were evident. He was diagnosed as having strep throat and scarlet
fever. Expected findings include small tonsils, a pink tongue with no bumps or
lesions, and a smooth torso with no rashes evident(Jarvis,1996). The nurse had
useful techniques when assessing T.T. For example, when assessing his lungs, she
was having a difficult time getting him to take deep breaths. She tried holding
up her finger and telling him to pretend it was a birthday candle and to blow it
out. When this did not work, she ripped up little pieces of paper and asked him
to Pediatric Experience 3 blow them away. This technique not only worked for the
assessment, but also in keeping T.T. happy. The next child, M.M., was a 10 year
old male. He was visiting the clinic for a routine physical. The nurse began the
assessment by asking questions. She started with history, asking if he'd been in
the hospital before, if he was on any medications, and if he had any current
complaints. The only concern he and his mother had was the fact that his right
heel would get sore after physical activity. The nurse then moved to nutrition.
M.M. claimed to have healthy eating habits, eating all food groups and not too
much fat and sugar. After that, the nurse asked about physical activity. M.M.
plays basketball but he doesn't get outside to play as much as he'd like. The
nurse then began the physical assessment. She looked at all body systems.
Musculoskeletal was fun for M.M. He had to do things such as touch his toes, hop
on one foot and squat down to walk across the room. She assessed the genital
area last. All she had to do was look to make sure he was developing correctly
for his age. He said he was uncomfortable with this so she asked if he would
like his mother to leave the room. He said no, so she proceeded to look very
quickly. He was developing fine. There were no unusual findings on physical
assessment. Pediatric Experience 4 An x-ray was taken of M.M.'s heel. It showed
that a piece of bone had broken off at the end of his heel. He went to
orthopedics and they took care of him from there. The third child observed was
T.W., a 7 month old female. She was brought to the clinic due to eye drainage.
The nurse began by taking a rectal temperature. Upon doing this, she noticed a
flaming red rash on T.W.'s genital area. She asked the parents about this and
they said it had been like that for about a week. She then went on to look at
T.W.'s eyes. Her conjuctiva was very red and she did have a greenish drainage in
and around her eye. The first nurse placed her on the exam table which was not
very effective. T.W. was crying and would not stay still. The second nurse
performed her examination with T.W. while her mother held her and this proved to
be much more effective. T.W. was diagnosed with conjunctivitis and a candidal
infection. All examinations were performed with the parent in the room. This was
very effective. Infants, toddlers, and preschool children should be examined
with a parent in the room. For children this age, the parent is the source of
subjective data. For example, T.W. could not speak for herself. T.T. could speak
to an extent, saying such things Pediatric Experience 5 as "My throat
hurts". His mother, however went into more detail about his symptoms.
School-age children and adolescents should be given the choice of whether or not
they want their parents present(Vessey,1995). When performing assessments on
children, it is important to remember that they are always developing.
Determining the developmental level of a child is important. This can be done
through play. Children communicate through play. By observing the play of
children, it is possible to see how they are developing not only physically, but
intellectually and socially as well. Therefore, play is an assessment
tool(Whaley & Wong,1985). Since children communicate through play, nurses
can communicate with them through play. It is a technique used to gain the trust
of children. By playing with them you become a friend(Whaley & Wong,1985).
Also when working with children, the nurse needs to understand that it is
important to communicate not only with the child but with the parent too(Perry
& Potter,1997). This is crucial when it comes to education. For example,
when assessing T.W. the nurse asked if the parents smoked. When they replied
that they did she explained to them the effects this could have on their infant.
When assessing M.M. she educated both he and his mother on the importance of
using seatbelts. And lastly, Pediatric Experience 6 educated T.T. and his mother
about the importance of handwashing. There are many differences in children and
adults. It is possible to communicate with an adult simply through talking. Also
adults are fully developed so it is not necessary to note their development.
There is also a physical difference which can be seen by vital sign values. A
child's blood pressure is generally lower than that of an adult. A child has a
higher respiratory rate than adults do(Perry & Potter,1997). The temperature
in adults and children is generally the same however it should be noted that
rectal temperatures are 10F higher than oral temperatures. Also the heartrate of
a child is greater than that of an adult(Jarvis,1996). It was thought a very
long time ago that children were simply miniature adults. It is obvious now that
that is not the case. Children are unique and special and are constantly growing
and developing. They need special attention and it is imperative that nurses
understand that. Children require patience and caring. When one understands
this, they will be successful in caring for them. Pediatric Experience 7 Works
Cited Jarvis, C.(1996). Physical examination and health assessment. (2nded).
Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company. Perry, P.A. & Potter ,A.G.(1997).
Fundamentals of nursing: Concepts, process, and practice. New York: Mosby.
Vessey, J.A.(1995). Developmental approaches to examining young children.
Pediatric Nursing,21(1),53-56. Whaley, L.F. & Wong, D.L.(1985). Effective
communication strategies for pediatric practice. Pediatric Nursing,11,429-432.
Pediatric Experience 1 Kimberly Testi 205-68-4533 Foundations of Nursing Judy
Tate November 30,1999 Pediatric Experience 2 The Primary Care Clinic located in
Children's Hospital is dedicated to the care of children. It is a place where
children can be examined for routine physicals and sick visits. It is convenient
because it is open until 9:00pm so children can be seen in the evening. This
experience demonstrates that there are many differences in treatment of children
and adults. T.T., a three year old male, was seen first. He was visiting the
clinic due to a high temperature, 39.6oF(Jarvis,1996). Despite his fever, T.T.
was very energetic. He was talking and playing. On observation enlarged tonsils,
a strawberry tongue, and a rash on his torso were evident. He was diagnosed as
having strep throat and scarlet fever. Expected findings include small tonsils,
a pink tongue with no bumps or lesions, and a smooth torso with no rashes
evident(Jarvis,1996). The nurse had useful techniques when assessing T.T. For
example, when assessing his lungs, she was having a difficult time getting him
to take deep breaths. She tried holding up her finger and telling him to pretend
it was a birthday candle and to blow it out. When this did not work, she ripped
up little pieces of paper and asked him to Pediatric Experience 3 blow them
away. This technique not only worked for the assessment, but also in keeping T.T.
happy. The next child, M.M., was a 10 year old male. He was visiting the clinic
for a routine physical. The nurse began the assessment by asking questions. She
started with history, asking if he'd been in the hospital before, if he was on
any medications, and if he had any current complaints. The only concern he and
his mother had was the fact that his right heel would get sore after physical
activity. The nurse then moved to nutrition. M.M. claimed to have healthy eating
habits, eating all food groups and not too much fat and sugar. After that, the
nurse asked about physical activity. M.M. plays basketball but he doesn't get
outside to play as much as he'd like. The nurse then began the physical
assessment. She looked at all body systems. Musculoskeletal was fun for M.M. He
had to do things such as touch his toes, hop on one foot and squat down to walk
across the room. She assessed the genital area last. All she had to do was look
to make sure he was developing correctly for his age. He said he was
uncomfortable with this so she asked if he would like his mother to leave the
room. He said no, so she proceeded to look very quickly. He was developing fine.
There were no unusual findings on physical assessment. Pediatric Experience 4 An
x-ray was taken of M.M.'s heel. It showed that a piece of bone had broken off at
the end of his heel. He went to orthopedics and they took care of him from
there. The third child observed was T.W., a 7 month old female. She was brought
to the clinic due to eye drainage. The nurse began by taking a rectal
temperature. Upon doing this, she noticed a flaming red rash on T.W.'s genital
area. She asked the parents about this and they said it had been like that for
about a week. She then went on to look at T.W.'s eyes. Her conjuctiva was very
red and she did have a greenish drainage in and around her eye. The first nurse
placed her on the exam table which was not very effective. T.W. was crying and
would not stay still. The second nurse performed her examination with T.W. while
her mother held her and this proved to be much more effective. T.W. was
diagnosed with conjunctivitis and a candidal infection. All examinations were
performed with the parent in the room. This was very effective. Infants,
toddlers, and preschool children should be examined with a parent in the room.
For children this age, the parent is the source of subjective data. For example,
T.W. could not speak for herself. T.T. could speak to an extent, saying such
things Pediatric Experience 5 as "My throat hurts". His mother,
however went into more detail about his symptoms. School-age children and
adolescents should be given the choice of whether or not they want their parents
present(Vessey,1995). When performing assessments on children, it is important
to remember that they are always developing. Determining the developmental level
of a child is important. This can be done through play. Children communicate
through play. By observing the play of children, it is possible to see how they
are developing not only physically, but intellectually and socially as well.
Therefore, play is an assessment tool(Whaley & Wong,1985). Since children
communicate through play, nurses can communicate with them through play. It is a
technique used to gain the trust of children. By playing with them you become a
friend(Whaley & Wong,1985). Also when working with children, the nurse needs
to understand that it is important to communicate not only with the child but
with the parent too(Perry & Potter,1997). This is crucial when it comes to
education. For example, when assessing T.W. the nurse asked if the parents
smoked. When they replied that they did she explained to them the effects this
could have on their infant. When assessing M.M. she educated both he and his
mother on the importance of using seatbelts. And lastly, Pediatric Experience 6
educated T.T. and his mother about the importance of handwashing. There are many
differences in children and adults. It is possible to communicate with an adult
simply through talking. Also adults are fully developed so it is not necessary
to note their development. There is also a physical difference which can be seen
by vital sign values. A child's blood pressure is generally lower than that of
an adult. A child has a higher respiratory rate than adults do(Perry &
Potter,1997). The temperature in adults and children is generally the same
however it should be noted that rectal temperatures are 10F higher than oral
temperatures. Also the heartrate of a child is greater than that of an
adult(Jarvis,1996). It was thought a very long time ago that children were
simply miniature adults. It is obvious now that that is not the case. Children
are unique and special and are constantly growing and developing. They need
special attention and it is imperative that nurses understand that. Children
require patience and caring. When one understands this, they will be successful
in caring for them. Pediatric Experience 7 Works Cited Jarvis, C.(1996).
Physical examination and health assessment. (2nded). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders
Company. Perry, P.A. & Potter ,A.G.(1997). Fundamentals of nursing:
Concepts, process, and practice. New York: Mosby. Vessey, J.A.(1995).
Developmental approaches to examining young children. Pediatric
Nursing,21(1),53-56. Whaley, L.F. & Wong, D.L.(1985). Effective
communication strategies for pediatric practice. Pediatric Nursing,11,429-432.
Pediatric Experience 1 Kimberly Testi 205-68-4533 Foundations of Nursing Judy
Tate November 30,1999 Pediatric Experience 2 The Primary Care Clinic located in
Children's Hospital is dedicated to the care of children. It is a place where
children can be examined for routine physicals and sick visits. It is convenient
because it is open until 9:00pm so children can be seen in the evening. This
experience demonstrates that there are many differences in treatment of children
and adults. T.T., a three year old male, was seen first. He was visiting the
clinic due to a high temperature, 39.6oF(Jarvis,1996). Despite his fever, T.T.
was very energetic. He was talking and playing. On observation enlarged tonsils,
a strawberry tongue, and a rash on his torso were evident. He was diagnosed as
having strep throat and scarlet fever. Expected findings include small tonsils,
a pink tongue with no bumps or lesions, and a smooth torso with no rashes
evident(Jarvis,1996). The nurse had useful techniques when assessing T.T. For
example, when assessing his lungs, she was having a difficult time getting him
to take deep breaths. She tried holding up her finger and telling him to pretend
it was a birthday candle and to blow it out. When this did not work, she ripped
up little pieces of paper and asked him to Pediatric Experience 3 blow them
away. This technique not only worked for the assessment, but also in keeping T.T.
happy. The next child, M.M., was a 10 year old male. He was visiting the clinic
for a routine physical. The nurse began the assessment by asking questions. She
started with history, asking if he'd been in the hospital before, if he was on
any medications, and if he had any current complaints. The only concern he and
his mother had was the fact that his right heel would get sore after physical
activity. The nurse then moved to nutrition. M.M. claimed to have healthy eating
habits, eating all food groups and not too much fat and sugar. After that, the
nurse asked about physical activity. M.M. plays basketball but he doesn't get
outside to play as much as he'd like. The nurse then began the physical
assessment. She looked at all body systems. Musculoskeletal was fun for M.M. He
had to do things such as touch his toes, hop on one foot and squat down to walk
across the room. She assessed the genital area last. All she had to do was look
to make sure he was developing correctly for his age. He said he was
uncomfortable with this so she asked if he would like his mother to leave the
room. He said no, so she proceeded to look very quickly. He was developing fine.
There were no unusual findings on physical assessment. Pediatric Experience 4 An
x-ray was taken of M.M.'s heel. It showed that a piece of bone had broken off at
the end of his heel. He went to orthopedics and they took care of him from
there. The third child observed was T.W., a 7 month old female. She was brought
to the clinic due to eye drainage. The nurse began by taking a rectal
temperature. Upon doing this, she noticed a flaming red rash on T.W.'s genital
area. She asked the parents about this and they said it had been like that for
about a week. She then went on to look at T.W.'s eyes. Her conjuctiva was very
red and she did have a greenish drainage in and around her eye. The first nurse
placed her on the exam table which was not very effective. T.W. was crying and
would not stay still. The second nurse performed her examination with T.W. while
her mother held her and this proved to be much more effective. T.W. was
diagnosed with conjunctivitis and a candidal infection. All examinations were
performed with the parent in the room. This was very effective. Infants,
toddlers, and preschool children should be examined with a parent in the room.
For children this age, the parent is the source of subjective data. For example,
T.W. could not speak for herself. T.T. could speak to an extent, saying such
things Pediatric Experience 5 as "My throat hurts". His mother,
however went into more detail about his symptoms. School-age children and
adolescents should be given the choice of whether or not they want their parents
present(Vessey,1995). When performing assessments on children, it is important
to remember that they are always developing. Determining the developmental level
of a child is important. This can be done through play. Children communicate
through play. By observing the play of children, it is possible to see how they
are developing not only physically, but intellectually and socially as well.
Therefore, play is an assessment tool(Whaley & Wong,1985). Since children
communicate through play, nurses can communicate with them through play. It is a
technique used to gain the trust of children. By playing with them you become a
friend(Whaley & Wong,1985). Also when working with children, the nurse needs
to understand that it is important to communicate not only with the child but
with the parent too(Perry & Potter,1997). This is crucial when it comes to
education. For example, when assessing T.W. the nurse asked if the parents
smoked. When they replied that they did she explained to them the effects this
could have on their infant. When assessing M.M. she educated both he and his
mother on the importance of using seatbelts. And lastly, Pediatric Experience 6
educated T.T. and his mother about the importance of handwashing. There are many
differences in children and adults. It is possible to communicate with an adult
simply through talking. Also adults are fully developed so it is not necessary
to note their development. There is also a physical difference which can be seen
by vital sign values. A child's blood pressure is generally lower than that of
an adult. A child has a higher respiratory rate than adults do(Perry &
Potter,1997). The temperature in adults and children is generally the same
however it should be noted that rectal temperatures are 10F higher than oral
temperatures. Also the heartrate of a child is greater than that of an
adult(Jarvis,1996). It was thought a very long time ago that children were
simply miniature adults. It is obvious now that that is not the case. Children
are unique and special and are constantly growing and developing. They need
special attention and it is imperative that nurses understand that. Children
require patience and caring. When one understands this, they will be successful
in caring for them.
Bibliography
Jarvis, C.(1996). Physical examination and health assessment. (2nded).
Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company. Perry, P.A. & Potter ,A.G.(1997).
Fundamentals of nursing: Concepts, process, and practice. New York: Mosby.
Vessey, J.A.(1995). Developmental approaches to examining young children.
Pediatric Nursing,21(1),53-56. Whaley, L.F. & Wong, D.L.(1985). Effective
communication strategies for pediatric practice. Pediatric Nursing,11,429-432.