A Teacher's pledge to her students

 

 

 

Before my exploration of technology

 

 

After my exploration, the possibilities are endless..

Dear Students

...I pledge to make you a learner in the 21st Century, by challenging you, pushing you into the future of the technological world of learning and education. Where terms like Blog, Glog, Flicker and Twitter are not names for race horses but tools that will become second nature in your quest to furthering your education in the 21st century. Why I am I so passionate about this, it wasn't that long ago when a very special Professor "Dr.T", shared her passion with me for technology and nursing informatics.   like you,  I was very nervous to began this journey.  My journey is still continuing today but I am excited to share what I have learned with you.  I can truly say my education would have not been complete if this was never taught.  It is important for me to give you all the tools you will need to be a learner in the 21st Century.  Get ready, we are in for some fun.

Your Teach Elise Muoio

 

Position To Improve Comfort for Pediatric patients

Children do feel pain!

 

 

VS

 

 

When Children have medical procedures done, there are many things we can do to make it easier and manage pain.  Very easy techniques, the one  we will be reviewing is position of comfort.

Position of Comfort

One of the most stressful times during a child's hospitalization is the needle poke or painful procedure (IVAD access, blood drawn), it causes children of any age to experience pain and anxiety.  As health care professionals we have a responsibility to our patients and families to offer all tools available to make the experience a more positive one.  One of the tools you can use it position of comfort, it is a position with physical contact allows a child some control and is comforting.  Staff can be easily trained in positioning children to support safe procedures and to help keep children comfortable and calm in their parents arms.

Goals of Comfort Positioning

• Successfully immobilizes extremity for procedure
• Offers secure, comforting hugging hold for child
• Comfort through close contact with the parent or caregiver
• Parent or caregiver participates in positive assistance, not negative restraining
• Sitting position promotes sense of control
• Fewer people are needed to complete procedure

When done correctly positioning of comfort requires less staff, takes less time, and is much less stressful for the child than laying flat.

references

American Academy of Pediatrics.  The assessment and management of acute pain in infants, children, and adolescents.  
Pediatrics 2001; 108(3) 793-797.

Heden L., VonEssen L. & Ljungman G. (2009). Randomized interventions for needle procedures in children with cancer. European Journal of Cancer care, 18, 358-363.

 

McCarthy.A.M., Hanrahan, K., Zimmerman, B. M., Westhus, N., Allen S. (2010). Imapact of Parent-Provided Distraction on Children Responses to an IV Insertion. Children’s Health Care, 39, 125-141.

 

McMurtry, C., Chambers, C.T., McGrath, P.J. (2011). Children’s Fear during Procedural Pain:  Preliminary Investigation of the Children’s fear Scale. Health Psychology, 30, 780-788.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unique Characteristics of Chilidren

                                                                            

Piaget Stages of Development

 

 

 

Knowledge of growth and development will help the nurse understand the unique characteristics of the child they are caring for, and allow them to understand child's perception and reaction and have effective communication.  Developmental theories  provide explanations of the child's behavior and offer guidelines for pediatric care.  There are many child-development theories the one that our still relevant today are    Erickson, Piaget, and Freud's theories.

 

 

 

Milestones (intellectual/language development)


 Development in milestones provide standards of reference that assist the healthcare providers in differentiating between normal and abnormal signs, symptoms and behaviors.
 

 

Caring for children are primary focus is the physiologic stabilization of acutely ill or injured children, psychologic well being is just as important.  It is easy today to incorporate psychosocial care interventions into the child's care plan minimizing the emotional impact of the child's hospitalization. 

• Keeping parents with the child during procedures (family centered Care).
• Utilize your ChildLife specialist 

Medication Administration Safety

No interruption zone.

http://nurseelise.edu.glogster.com/elise-medication-safety-administration/

Thought I would share my  Glog on medication safety, did you know most medication errors occur in pediatrics.  This might be a good topic for our next post, stay tuned

Pediatric Safety and Family Centered Care

The Pediatric Patient:

Before we can start exploring best clinical  practices in caring for pediatrics we first must explore the key elements in family centered care in the  pediatric patient.  In pediatric nursing you are not just caring for the patient but the family.  The family is intrusting you to care for their most precious gift,  their child. 

 

In the past decade we have changed are model of care for the pediatric patient and have gone to family centered care approach.  We have found that partnering with the family in their love ones care has positive outcomes for the patient.  It has been almost 10 years ago when I first viewed the video of Josie King Story, her story is still relevant today and a reminder to why family centered care can save lives. 

How can you help promote family centered, by allowing parents to participate in daily rounds.

• The two main purposes of rounds are to make decisions regarding the plan of care, and to ensure communication among the caring team ( providers, nurses, respiratory therapist, pharmacy).
• In 2007, the American College of Critical Care Medicine released a recommendation that parents/guardians of pediatric patients be given the opportunity to participate in rounding.
• 90% of parents in a 2011 Survey said that they would like to be present for rounds when their child was hospitalized.
• Parents want the opportunity to decide whether or not to participate in rounds.  Parents feel frustrated adn distrustful if they feel that information is being withheld or inconsistent.
• Parental participation in rounds may reduce anxiety by giving parents a forum to learn more about their child's care and may foster a sense of mutual respect between parents and health care providers.

After viewing the Josie King Story, and then reading how allowing parents to particpate in daily rounds, you cannot help to think if Sorrel King was allowed to round with the team at Johns Hopkins, would Josie be alive today.



McPherson,G.,Jefferson, R., Kissoon, N., Kwong, L. and Rasmussen, K. (2011). Toward the inclusion of parents on pediatric critical care unit rounds. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine(12)6, P255-261.

Welcome to Nurse Elise's assessing and caring for pediatric patient blog.  My hopes for this blog is to share best practices when caring for the pediatric population, for nursing students.  Caring for sick children can be scary and overwhelming, but it is also challenging and rewarding. 

 

As a nurse who specializes in pediatrics, I feel it is important to devote my knowledge and skill in the care of children.   The hope would be to have a place that I may share resources to nursing students who may benefit from a blog that would alleviate  the feeling of being scared and overwhelmed when caring for the pediatric population.  Most important to inspire in a rewarding

Pediatric Nursing Rocks !!

 

Providing nursing care for the pediatric patient comes with its challenges but has the most rewards. This blog will provide a place where nursing students can prepare for their pediatric clinical experience. It will provide best practices, and will review the unique and different characteristic of children (Children are not small adults). Helping you to become more prepared and knowledgeable when caring for the pediatric patient.