Care of the Hospitalized

Child

1
 Prepare for hospitalization
• Consider child’s developmental level
• Allow child to visit
• handle & give explanation of
equipment
• simple explanations
• answer honestly

2
 Hospitalized child
Pediatric Unit
• Warm, friendly, colorful
• Treatment rooms
• Playroom – considered safe place along with room.
Pediatric ICU’s
• Prepare families
• Family members to assist in care.

3
 Pediatric unit
Infection Control:
• Standard Precautions –
– reduce risk of transmission of microorganisms.
• Transmission based Precautions – includes:
1.Airborne
2.Droplet
3.Contact
Handwashing decreases disease transmission

4
 Isolation
Child in Isolation:
• Encourage parents to stay
• spend extra time in room
– decrease child’s loneliness.
• Bring in toys or games that can be sterilized.
• Explain gowns & mask.

5
 Stages of Separation
Anxiety
• Protest – cries loudly, throws tantrums.

• Despair – withdraws, shows no interest in

eating, playing, interacting.

• Denial – behavior often mistaken for happy

adjustment
– ignores mother, may regress.

6
Child undergoing surgery
• Outpatient preferred
• NPO, tests, anesthesia.
• PACU.
• Check for loose teeth.
Post – Op Care:
• Similar to adult.
• voiding within 6 hours.
• pain scale.

7
 Play Therapy
• Used by psychiatrists to uncover a
disturbed child’s underlying thoughts,
feelings, motivations.
Therapeutic Play:
• play technique, help children express
feelings, fears, concerns.

8
 Safety
• Check all equipment
• Crib rails up at all times.
• Watch toddlers with small objects.
• Pay attention to where you put things
– toddlers find things that may be harmful.

9
10