Introduction
Physical assessment of a child differs from that of an adult in various ways. Arguably the most crucial difference is that children are often distrustful of medical professionals and scared of physical examinations, and thus adjustments have to be made to make the exam more comfortable. For example, care providers are encouraged to stay on the child’s level as much as possible and to structure the exam by the level of discomfort, from least to most distressing (University of Utah, n.d.).
Main body
Hence, the painful area should be examined last regardless of the standard order. Additionally, care providers should be truthful in warning children about any discomfort that they might experience, explain it, and use distractions instead of lying (University of Utah, n.d.). Lastly, young children should be observed firstly before the exam as their position, posture, and behavior might reveal more than they or their caregivers could in a conversation.
To offer instruction during the assessment, the nurse should remain at the child’s eye level and speak in a calm, soft voice. Children who have severe anxiety should be calmed down through a conversation or distracted by books or toys to make the assessment more comfortable for them. In offering explanations, the nurse should tailor the language to the patient’s developmental level and avoid using medical terminology or complicated wording. Simple, plain language would be more useful when speaking to young children, and information should be explained to them with limited details so as to avoid confusion. Adolescents, however, might require more information and have more questions about their condition.
Conclusion
To encourage engagement during a physical assessment, the nurse should explain each step of the evaluation and support the conversation. This can be done by asking the child health-related questions or, if in need of a distraction, about their interests, toys, or hobbies. These communication and engagement strategies can help nurses to ensure that the exam goes smoothly and that the child is comfortable and cooperative.
References
University of Utah. (n.d.) Pediatric history & physical exam. Web.