An 8-year-old girl is being admitted to the hospital from the emergency department with an injury from falling off her bicycle. What intervention will help her most in her adjustment to the hospital?

It is important to recognize that picky eating is a common behavior among preschool-age children and may be a normal part of their development. Children at this age often exhibit preferences for certain foods and may be resistant to trying new foods or eating a wide variety of foods. It is important for parents to understand that this behavior is generally temporary and will likely improve over time.

The nurse should reassure the mother that it is normal for young children to have fluctuations in their appetite and food preferences. Encouraging a positive mealtime environment and offering a variety of healthy foods is important, but pressuring or forcing the child to eat can lead to negative associations with food and mealtime.

Emphasizing the quantity of food consumed over the quality is not recommended, as it may promote unhealthy eating habits. It is important to prioritize offering a balanced diet with a variety of nutrient-rich foods.

Adding fruit juice to the child's diet to increase vitamin intake is not recommended as the primary strategy. Fruit juice is often high in sugar and low in fiber, and excessive consumption can contribute to poor eating habits and dental caries. It is better to focus on offering whole fruits and vegetables for their nutritional benefits.

Having the child remain at the table after meals to increase food intake is not recommended either. It is important to respect the child's appetite and avoid creating negative associations with mealtime. Forcing a child to stay at the table can increase mealtime stress and may further reinforce picky eating behaviors.

Overall, the nurse should provide reassurance to the mother, promote a positive mealtime environment, offer a variety of healthy foods, and allow the child to regulate their own food intake.

A. It’s usually best to build trust and rapport first with non-invasive assessments. Starting with a potentially uncomfortable procedure like looking in the ears may cause distress and make the rest of the exam more difficult.

B.Examining the tympanic membrane before the head and neck might still be too early in the assessment and could cause the child to become uncooperative for subsequent steps. If the child becomes upset, it could complicate the rest of the physical exam, making it harder to complete.

C.Performing the ear examination at the end allows the nurse to build trust and rapport throughout the visit. The child is less likely to become distressed too early in the exam, which helps maintain cooperation for as long as possible.If the child does become upset, it is at the end of the visit, and the more critical assessments have already been completed.

D.If the ear exam causes distress, it may make the child uncooperative for important assessments like auscultating the heart and lungs.