What can the nurse do to reduce the child's fear of hospitalization?
Answers
Practice Calmness
Anxiety is contagious. It’s easy to become frazzled during a busy shift, but, when you become tense and stressed, it’s usually evident in your voice and body language. A healthcare provider who shows anxiousness only serves to enhance the nervousness of young patients and their
Experience
Many times, pediatric patients are anxious because they don’t know what to expect. Will you be giving them a shot? Is it going to hurt? Will they have to stay overnight or be separated from their parents? The best way to assuage their fears is by recognizing and communicating with parents.
Play Music
The power of music as an anti-anxiety agent has been studied for decades
Employ Distractions
Nurses who have spent a great deal of time on the pediatrics floor know a little distraction goes a long way. Take patients’ minds off their concerns by asking questions about their interests.