Purpose: this assessment task offers the opportunity for students to develop and articulate an individualised and evidenced-based approach to the nursing care of a child or youth and their family. A key focus will be the importance of taking a developmentally appropriate approach when communicating with the child or youth and their family.
1/ Identify an aspect of nursing care currently required by the child or youth.
2/ Describe how you will provide this care incorporating the principles of child/family centred care, child rights and the developmental stage of the child
3/Identify an issue with communication arising from the scenario.
4/Describe the strategies/approaches you will use to communicate and develop a trusting relationship with the child or youth and family incorporating the principles of child/family centred care and child right
Justification of these strategies/approaches should be based on:
-principle/s of Family Centred Care and/or Child Centred Care – consideration of the developmental stage of the child Detailed assessment guidelines.
Assessment Criteria:
Criterion 1 Develops effective strategies/approaches to communicating with the child or youth and family based on the developmental stage of the child. (13 marks)è Demonstrated very good knowledge and understanding of the child’s developmental stage by integrating highly relevant strategies and approaches to communicating and providing care for the child and family.
Criterion 2 Incorporates the principles of Family Centred Care and/or Child Centred Care in planning the care for the child or youth and family (13 marks)è integrated relevant discussion of child/family cantered care and child rights when planning care and communicating with the child and fam
Criterion 3 Synthesises and applies the best available evidence when describing the approaches to communicating and caring for the child or youth and family (8 marks)è Presented approaches to communicating with and providing care for the child and family that are clear, logical, practical and grounded in best available evidence
Demonstrates academic writing skills (6 marks)
Scenario 1: ‘Daisy’
Daisy is 10 months old and has been admitted to the paediatric ward in a regional hospital with her mother Elizabeth, who will be ‘rooming in’. Daisy was referred by her GP who was concerned about Daisy’s poor weight gain and increased lethargy.
Social History
Elizabeth is a single mother and Daisy is her only child. Elizabeth has poor family support – her mother lives interstate and her father died when Elizabeth was a child. Elizabeth has not worked since Daisy was born and misses her work colleagues.
Medical History
Daisy was born at 40 weeks’ gestation following a normal vaginal delivery. There were no complications at birth and her birth weight was 3,200 grams. Daisy was breastfed until 6 weeks of age. Daisy did not gain weight during this period and would vomit after every feed. On the advice of the child health nurse Elizabeth started Daisy on a formula recommended for babies with reflux. Daisy did not gain weight and continued to vomit during and after every feed with regular periods of diarrhea.
At 6 months old Daisy weighed 4,600 grams. The GP thought she may have a lactose sensitivity and suggested lactose free formula. Elizabeth again changed Daisy’s formula. However, Daisy continued to vomit during and after every feed. She has started on solids, but Elizabeth reports she isn’t very interested in food and continues to vomit after dairy products, biscuits, bread and packet baby foods. Her weight gain is very slow and despite regular check
-ups with the GP and child health nurse her weight and energy levels have not increased. Daisy is up to date with her immunisations.
Progress Notes
Daisy is alert and bright eyed, but tires easily. She smiles and laughs with her mother and is verbalising, although does not yet have any words. Daisy weighs 5,200 grams. Daisy has been diagnosed with a ‘cows milk protein allergy’. She will be commenced on prescription formula and requires a nasogastric tube to be inserted for top up feeds. Elizabeth is angry about Daisy’s diagnosis. She is defensive about Daisy not gaining weight and blames nurses and doctors for not doing enough. Elizabeth has expressed frustration at the length of time it has taken to get the correct diagnosis for Daisy and is very upset that her daughter has had to go through this when she has tried her hardest to get help.
