Nursing Assignment: Pediatric Intussusception and Family Care

This nursing assignment focuses on a 4-month-old boy, Jay, admitted with intussusception. The essay delves into the pathophysiology of intussusception, exploring how a portion of the intestine telescopes into itself, leading to obstruction and potential complications. It examines relevant growth and development theories, including Freud's psychoanalytical theory, Piaget's cognitive development theory, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and how these theories relate to the child's condition and care. The assignment emphasizes family-centered care, highlighting the importance of emotional support, counseling, and guidance for the patient and his family, while addressing the effects of hospitalization on both the child and his family members, encompassing financial, educational, and emotional impacts. The essay also discusses nursing interventions such as electrolyte monitoring, IV therapy, and the importance of communication and education to promote the child's recovery and ensure family well-being, also highlighting the role of nurses in providing psychosocial support and palliative care.

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Nursing Assignment
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NURSING ASSIGNMENT
This essay is about a 4 month old boy Jay who is admitted in the pediatric due to
emergency. He has experienced symptoms of vomiting, poor diet, no actions in bowel and
intermittent spasmodic abdominal pains. After the ultrasound was conducted, intussusception
was considered to be the main reason of present symptoms experienced by Jay when he was
admitted in the ward. He was observed by the doctors and the nurses and electrolyte
monitoring and IV therapy was conducted until a contrast enema could be implemented to
correct the intussusception. The doctors have advised him to stay for at least 2 days and
during this period, Jay’s mother is informed that the rotavirus vaccine was given to him is
the main reason of his health issue. His mother is quite concerned about the vaccines he will
be taking in future. This essay demonstrates the pathophysiology of intussusceptions and
the growth and developmental theories in relation to the health disease suffered by Jay.
It also demonstrates family centered care and the effects of hospitalization on Jay and
his family members.
Intussusception occurs when a part of intestine interferes with the lumen of intestine
and results in the destruction in bowel. Pathophysiology involves an imbalance in the forces
which occur in the walls of intestine due to disorganization in the peristaltic movement. Due
to peristalsis a portion of intestine interferes into the lumen of bowel adjacent to it. It also
involves prevention of lymphatic return and impairment of venous drainage due to increase in
pressure in the wall of intussusceptum (Ewart & Perea,2017).Due to the continuation of
obstructive process, an increase in pressure inhibits the inflow of arteries. This ultimately
results in the perforation of the gangrene.
There are several growth and development theories such as JMD theories which
include psychoanalytical theory proposed by Freud. He was the first to identify the
development of an individual through several stages such as oral stage, anal stage, phallic

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stage, latency and Genital stage. This theory played an important role in helping nurses in
understanding the behavior and condition of mental health in different patients (Hahn,
Coricelli & Matteo, 2016).It also helps in understanding different behaviors of patients
related to ego and id. Freud theory helps individuals to accept who they are and improve their
health and well being.
Piaget theory of cognitive development focuses on the fact that interaction with the
environment plays a significant role in the development of human beings. The nurses gain
knowledge and understand the main features of developmental psychology and it helps them
to assess the stage of development a child has attained. This helps them accomplishing
several tasks of development. Piaget’s theory has made a significant contribution in
understanding the intellectual level and cognitive development in children. There are several
examples of cognitive development for this age group such as the brain of the child grows at
a rapid rate as compared to any other organ in his body (Mischel, 2013).
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is a theory of psychology that aims to motivate
individuals and is based on a five stage model that includes biological and physiological
needs such as air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, and sleep. Safety needs include protection and
security, law, stability, order, and freedom from fear (Maslow, 2013).Love and belongingness
needs include, friendship, intimacy, trust and acceptance, receiving and giving love and
affection, social interaction among family, friends, and work. Esteem needs include
achievement, independence, status, dominance, which plays a very important role in realizing
potential of self, self-fulfillment, seeking personal advice for growth and development. This
theory helps nurses and health care professional to motivate patients suffering from different
types of disorders and diseases (Maslow, 2013).

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Jay should be treated empathetically and with courteousness by the nurses. They
should help them in all the daily activities such as playing, eating, providing proper training
and improve his learning skills. Nurses should monitor his vital signs and symptoms
efficiently. A nasogastric tube should be inserted to reduce the size of the bowel. IV fluids
should be administered effectively as prescribed by the doctor. His mother should be
counseled that she should not worry about vaccination of Jay in future. He should be
provided proper rest and sleep intake so that they do not have any health effects in future. The
nursing staff along with the doctors and clinicians should provide proper assistance and
psychosocial care which would help in his proper growth and development (Curtis et al.,
2013).It may prevent mental issues such as anxiety and may have a positive impact on the
psychological condition of Jay.
Family centered care plays a significant role in improving the well being of the
members of the patient. It involves providing care sucgh as emotional care, motivation and
guidance which helps them to prevent depressive symptoms and other health disorders related
to it. Healthcare staff should have a responsible attitude towards their patients as well as their
family members. The doctors and the nursing staff should act as a guide and provide support
in all their problems and issues (Festini, 2014).They should advise them about the
precautionary measures to be followed .This will improve the psychosocial health of the
family members of the patient and help her in getting cured in less amount of time. Cognitive
development is the field of studying psychology that focuses on the development of child on
the basis of his or her ability to learn, process the information and the development of brain
(Lehne & Rosenthal, 2014).
Cognitive behavioral therapy should be provided to Jay that would play a
significant role in getting well soon (Ehde, Dillworth & Turner, 2014).The nurses should
have patience during communication with his family members. They should treat them with

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respect and also understand their requirements. Palliative care should be given to her in a
proper manner which is special type of care to that provides relief from both physical and
mental pain and stress (Poulsen et al., 2014).The nursing staff should process the information
gathered by them by analyzing the data by proper understanding of important signs and
symptoms in the patient They should discriminate correct from incorrect information to avoid
any errors in the treatment procedure.
Jay should be advised to follow several precautions such as proper sleep intake
balanced diet and regular exercise. His mother should be guided to take advice with other
children who have experienced the same health issue. He should be provided counseling with
a psychiatrist to share her feelings that will instill positivity in her. Nurses should treat him
with empathy and courteousness towards Jay and should provide quality care according to
his needs (Mischel, 2013).There are several nursing care goals for providing priority nursing
care in relation to the nursing issues that have been identified. Jay should be empowered and
provided care by understanding his medical condition. He should be advised to follow a few
precautions to manage emotional issues like taking proper sleep and a well balanced diet.
There would be negative effects of hospitalization of the child, on the child and her
family. The main reason behind it is that he is very young to bear the pain of the surgical
procedure and has been advised to stay in the hospital for 2 days which is quite longer for a
child of4 months. He might also not feel comfortable with intravenous therapy, electrolyte
monitoring and ultrasound. The family members of the patient also suffer from several issues
due to hospitalization such as financial crisis, responsibilities related to house old, negative
effects on the education of other children, and boredom (Ågotneset al.,2016). The
hospitalization of Jay might to depression and other mental issues in the family members.
The family members of the patient should be taken care of by the hospital staff and helped
whenever in need regarding to the treatment of patient and other issues related to

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accommodation and transport. The nurses should give respect and handle them with patience.
They should also think from their point of view by providing proper solution to their doubts
(Lehne & Rosenthal, 2014).
Involvement of proper communication skills with the patient would plays a majior
role in improving the hospital journey in Jay. It would delay the tratment if there is no
appropriate communication and may alos lead to a negative impact in the health condition of
Jay(Curtis et al., 2013). It would ultimately reasult in a lack of trust and satisfaction in the
medical treatment provided by the doctors nad the nuring staff.
Doctors and nurses should have a responsible attitude towards Jay as well as her
family members (Gordon et al., 2012).They should be provided adequate training in which
will help in proper growth and development of their child. Jay should be advised to have a
nutritional diet along with plenty of fluids which would help in the regeneration of tissue and
healing.. Nurses and other hospital staff should wash hands properly as it is significant in
preventing infection. They should use clean and aseptic techniques in order to prevent
contamination.
It can be summarized that the clinicians and the nursing staff should provide
appropriate care and follow ups after the treatment to Jay. His family members should be
counseled and guided properly to take appropriate rest and follow several precautions to
improve the condition of his health. Jay should be provided proper nursing care as advised by
the doctors. He should be advised to manage the disease and be positive about his health.
which would result in improvement of his health condition. This will help him getting proper
mediacal treatment and patient satisfaction and would alo improve trust between Jay and the
doctors and the nurses of the hospital.

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References
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Ehde, D. M., Dillworth, T. M., & Turner, J. A. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for
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research. American Psychologist, 69(2), 153.
Ewart, Z., & Perea, L. (2017). Intussusception. In Acute Care General Surgery (pp. 79-82).
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Poulsen, S., Lunn, S., Daniel, S. I., Folke, S., Mathiesen, B. B., Katznelson, H., & Fairburn,
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