Select an adult and a pediatric developmental age group Comp

Select an adult and a pediatric developmental age group.

Compare and contrast the approach the RN would use to conduct the health history and physical assessment for the two (2) developmental age groups you selected.

Identify three (3) techniques the RN would use for the physical assessment and describe how each technique would be altered based on the developmental age of the patient.   

Solution

Please note that age 0-16 years is considered a pediatric patient by FDA.

The developmental age group selected is 1 month to 2 years.

In this age group, physical assessment will be conducted in a very different way in comparison to adults. The various methods are known as Communicating strategies.

First, a set of questions related to information of the child are asked from the parent or care-giver. The questions should be open-ended like, how much fever was there today morning? Only one question should be asked at a time; so that parent is confortable enough to explain the exact situation.

Then, questions are asked from the child. The questions are direct and age-appropriate like, \"where is it hurting/paining?\" The language chosen should be the one which the child understands. Interpreter should be used to improve communication. Most of the times, parents are themselves the interpreter. Non-verbal communication of the patient should also be taken into consideration. These include the techniques used by RN for physical assessment.

Health history is found out in the following way: