A nurse on a pediatric unit is assisting with the admission of a toddler who has pneumonia. The nurse should identify that which of the following findings is an expected behavior of hospitalization?

Choice A reason:

If the parent states, "My child uses scissors to cut out the outline of an object,” this indicates fine motor skills development. While this is a positive milestone, it is not specific to the expected benchmarks of other preschoolers in this age group. The ability to cut out shapes with scissors varies widely among preschoolers.

Choice B reason:

"My child can copy triangle shapes onto paper.” This statement shows that the child can demonstrate some level of visual-motor coordination and fine motor skills. Copying shapes like triangles is a common milestone for many preschoolers at the age of 3 and is considered an expected benchmark.

Choice C reason:

If the parent says, "My child can ride a tricycle,” this indicates gross motor skills development. Riding a tricycle is also a milestone achieved by many preschoolers, but it may not be as specific to the expected benchmarks of this age group as choice B, which focuses on fine motor skills and visual-motor coordination.

Choice D reason:

If the parent mentions, "My child can throw a ball overhead,” this also points to gross motor skills development. While throwing a ball overhead is an impressive skill for a 3-year-old, it may not be as common or consistent among all preschoolers in this age group as the ability to copy triangle shapes onto paper (choice B).

Choice A reason:

The FACES Scale is a visual pain scale typically used for children who can understand and verbalize their pain intensity. It consists of a series of faces with varying expressions, from smiling to crying, to help the child express their pain level. However, since the client in question is nonverbal and has cognitive and developmental delays, this scale may not be suitable as they might not be able to communicate using this tool effectively.

Choice B reason:

The Numerical Scale involves asking the patient to rate their pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable. While this scale is commonly used for older children and adults, it may not be appropriate for a nonverbal and developmentally delayed 9-year-old client, as they may not understand or be able to use numbers effectively to express their pain.

Choice C reason:

The FLACC pain assessment scale is designed for nonverbal or preverbal individuals, including children and those with cognitive impairments. FLACC stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability. Each category is scored from 0 to 2 or 0 to 3, depending on the version used, based on specific observed behaviors. The scores are then totaled to give an overall pain assessment. This scale is particularly suitable for the current client's condition as it focuses on observable behaviors rather than verbal communication.

Choice D reason:

The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) requires the patient to mark a point along a line that represents their pain intensity, with one end indicating no pain and the other end indicating the worst pain. Although this scale is useful for older children and adults, it may not be appropriate for a 9-year-old client with cognitive and developmental delays who might not fully comprehend the concept of the scale.