NUR 230 Unit 6-8 Exam Study Guide
🧩 Unit 6 – Introduction to Pediatrics
Part 1: Family-Centered and Atraumatic Care
👨👩👧 Definition and Core Concepts
Family-Centered Care is the foundation of pediatric nursing. It acknowledges that the family is
the child’s constant support system, while healthcare providers act as temporary partners in
care.
Goals:
• Support and strengthen family roles rather than replace them.
• Encourage parental participation in all aspects of care.
• Foster trust and collaboration between families and healthcare teams.
Key Principles (from your Galen PowerPoint & Perry textbook)
Concept Description
Families are provided the opportunity to display and build on their
Enabling caregiving abilities. The nurse allows the parent to be actively involved in
the child’s daily care, such as feeding, diapering, or comforting.
Families are given the tools and confidence to make decisions and
Empowerment maintain control over their child’s care. The nurse educates, supports, and
reinforces that parents are the experts on their child.
Respect and Nurses value each family’s structure, culture, strengths, and choices.
Collaboration Decisions are made jointly between the healthcare team and family.
Information Open, honest, and developmentally appropriate communication builds
Sharing trust and helps families make informed decisions.
🌿 Atraumatic Care
Atraumatic care means delivering care that minimizes or eliminates psychological and physical
distress for both the child and family.
,Three Core Principles:
1. Prevent or minimize separation of the child from parents and family.
o Encourage “rooming in” whenever possible.
o Assign consistent caregivers to promote familiarity.
2. Promote a sense of control for both child and family.
o Offer limited but meaningful choices (e.g., “Do you want to take your medicine
with water or juice?”).
o Involve parents in care planning.
3. Prevent or minimize bodily injury and pain.
o Use numbing creams (e.g., EMLA) before injections. o Perform painful
procedures in a treatment room rather than the child’s bed.
🩺 Role of the Pediatric Nurse
According to your Unit 6 slides, the nurse’s role includes:
• Therapeutic relationship: Build trust with both child and family.
• Advocacy: Speak up for the child’s best interests.
• Health promotion: Teach preventive care, nutrition, and safety.
• Injury prevention: Educate families on home and developmental safety (e.g., car seats,
drowning prevention).
• Family support: Provide emotional and informational support to parents under stress.
💉 Examples of Atraumatic Interventions
Care Area Nursing Action Rationale
Apply topical anesthetic before IV start or
Procedures Reduces pain and anxiety. injection; use distraction (bubbles, music, videos).
Encourage the family to decorate the room with Provides comfort and
Environment photos or blankets from home. familiarity.
Explain what will happen in simple, concrete Promotes
Communication terms. Use dolls or models to understanding and
demonstrate. reduces fear.
Encourage parent presence and participation in Decreases anxiety and
Hospitalization care (feeding, bathing, reading). maintains bonding.
,💬 Cultural and Religious Considerations
Children’s health beliefs are influenced by family culture, religion, and community.
Nurses must:
• Respect cultural practices unless they cause harm (e.g., feeding rituals, prayer routines).
• Recognize practices that may be unsafe or reportable under law (e.g., harmful traditional
remedies).
• Use interpreters and avoid relying on siblings for translation.
💡 Nursing Priorities for Family-Centered Care
1. Involve parents in decision-making and daily care.
2. Encourage participation in procedures when safe.
3. Maintain open communication with the family.
4. Provide education that is culturally sensitive and understandable.
5. Support emotional needs with reassurance and empathy.
🧠 Mini NCLEX Scenario
A 2-year-old is admitted for dehydration. The mother is anxious about leaving the bedside
during procedures.
Nurse’s Best Response:
“Let’s have you stay with your child. Your presence will comfort them, and you can help by
holding their hand.”
✅ Rationale: Promotes family-centered and atraumatic care by reducing separation and
involving the parent in care.
🧩 Unit 6 – Introduction to Pediatrics
Part 2: Principles of Pediatric Nursing & Influences on Child Health
, 🩺 Principles of Pediatric Nursing
Pediatric nursing is a specialized field that focuses not only on the child’s illness but also on
growth, development, prevention, and family involvement.
The nurse’s primary role is to promote health and safety, support development, and involve the
family in all aspects of care.
Core Principles
Principle Description
Establishes trust and open communication with the child and family. The
Therapeutic
nurse uses empathy, warmth, and honesty to support both physical and
Relationship
emotional needs.
Family Advocacy and The nurse acts as the child’s voice when decisions are being made,
Support ensuring that interventions are in the best interest of the child.
Health Promotion Nurses teach about growth, nutrition, immunizations, hygiene, and
and Teaching safety across developmental stages.
Identify developmental risks and teach parents preventive strategies
Injury Prevention
(e.g., car seats, choking prevention, safe sleep).
Evidence-Based All nursing interventions should be based on current pediatric research
Practice and standards of care.
👨👩👧 Influences on Child Health
Pediatric health is shaped by biologic, social, cultural, and environmental factors.
Understanding these influences helps nurses provide individualized, family-centered care.
🧩 Social Roles
• Primary Groups: Family and close friends — provide emotional support and early
learning about social roles and behavior.
• Secondary Groups: Schools, sports teams, community groups — influence peer
interaction, social skills, and personal values.
Nursing Implication: When a child is hospitalized, maintaining contact with both primary and
secondary social groups supports mental health and normal development.
🧩 Unit 6 – Introduction to Pediatrics
Part 1: Family-Centered and Atraumatic Care
👨👩👧 Definition and Core Concepts
Family-Centered Care is the foundation of pediatric nursing. It acknowledges that the family is
the child’s constant support system, while healthcare providers act as temporary partners in
care.
Goals:
• Support and strengthen family roles rather than replace them.
• Encourage parental participation in all aspects of care.
• Foster trust and collaboration between families and healthcare teams.
Key Principles (from your Galen PowerPoint & Perry textbook)
Concept Description
Families are provided the opportunity to display and build on their
Enabling caregiving abilities. The nurse allows the parent to be actively involved in
the child’s daily care, such as feeding, diapering, or comforting.
Families are given the tools and confidence to make decisions and
Empowerment maintain control over their child’s care. The nurse educates, supports, and
reinforces that parents are the experts on their child.
Respect and Nurses value each family’s structure, culture, strengths, and choices.
Collaboration Decisions are made jointly between the healthcare team and family.
Information Open, honest, and developmentally appropriate communication builds
Sharing trust and helps families make informed decisions.
🌿 Atraumatic Care
Atraumatic care means delivering care that minimizes or eliminates psychological and physical
distress for both the child and family.
,Three Core Principles:
1. Prevent or minimize separation of the child from parents and family.
o Encourage “rooming in” whenever possible.
o Assign consistent caregivers to promote familiarity.
2. Promote a sense of control for both child and family.
o Offer limited but meaningful choices (e.g., “Do you want to take your medicine
with water or juice?”).
o Involve parents in care planning.
3. Prevent or minimize bodily injury and pain.
o Use numbing creams (e.g., EMLA) before injections. o Perform painful
procedures in a treatment room rather than the child’s bed.
🩺 Role of the Pediatric Nurse
According to your Unit 6 slides, the nurse’s role includes:
• Therapeutic relationship: Build trust with both child and family.
• Advocacy: Speak up for the child’s best interests.
• Health promotion: Teach preventive care, nutrition, and safety.
• Injury prevention: Educate families on home and developmental safety (e.g., car seats,
drowning prevention).
• Family support: Provide emotional and informational support to parents under stress.
💉 Examples of Atraumatic Interventions
Care Area Nursing Action Rationale
Apply topical anesthetic before IV start or
Procedures Reduces pain and anxiety. injection; use distraction (bubbles, music, videos).
Encourage the family to decorate the room with Provides comfort and
Environment photos or blankets from home. familiarity.
Explain what will happen in simple, concrete Promotes
Communication terms. Use dolls or models to understanding and
demonstrate. reduces fear.
Encourage parent presence and participation in Decreases anxiety and
Hospitalization care (feeding, bathing, reading). maintains bonding.
,💬 Cultural and Religious Considerations
Children’s health beliefs are influenced by family culture, religion, and community.
Nurses must:
• Respect cultural practices unless they cause harm (e.g., feeding rituals, prayer routines).
• Recognize practices that may be unsafe or reportable under law (e.g., harmful traditional
remedies).
• Use interpreters and avoid relying on siblings for translation.
💡 Nursing Priorities for Family-Centered Care
1. Involve parents in decision-making and daily care.
2. Encourage participation in procedures when safe.
3. Maintain open communication with the family.
4. Provide education that is culturally sensitive and understandable.
5. Support emotional needs with reassurance and empathy.
🧠 Mini NCLEX Scenario
A 2-year-old is admitted for dehydration. The mother is anxious about leaving the bedside
during procedures.
Nurse’s Best Response:
“Let’s have you stay with your child. Your presence will comfort them, and you can help by
holding their hand.”
✅ Rationale: Promotes family-centered and atraumatic care by reducing separation and
involving the parent in care.
🧩 Unit 6 – Introduction to Pediatrics
Part 2: Principles of Pediatric Nursing & Influences on Child Health
, 🩺 Principles of Pediatric Nursing
Pediatric nursing is a specialized field that focuses not only on the child’s illness but also on
growth, development, prevention, and family involvement.
The nurse’s primary role is to promote health and safety, support development, and involve the
family in all aspects of care.
Core Principles
Principle Description
Establishes trust and open communication with the child and family. The
Therapeutic
nurse uses empathy, warmth, and honesty to support both physical and
Relationship
emotional needs.
Family Advocacy and The nurse acts as the child’s voice when decisions are being made,
Support ensuring that interventions are in the best interest of the child.
Health Promotion Nurses teach about growth, nutrition, immunizations, hygiene, and
and Teaching safety across developmental stages.
Identify developmental risks and teach parents preventive strategies
Injury Prevention
(e.g., car seats, choking prevention, safe sleep).
Evidence-Based All nursing interventions should be based on current pediatric research
Practice and standards of care.
👨👩👧 Influences on Child Health
Pediatric health is shaped by biologic, social, cultural, and environmental factors.
Understanding these influences helps nurses provide individualized, family-centered care.
🧩 Social Roles
• Primary Groups: Family and close friends — provide emotional support and early
learning about social roles and behavior.
• Secondary Groups: Schools, sports teams, community groups — influence peer
interaction, social skills, and personal values.
Nursing Implication: When a child is hospitalized, maintaining contact with both primary and
secondary social groups supports mental health and normal development.
