BTSC 3 August 2025
Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)
Easy

What is the core principle of paediatric nursing?

Appeared in: BTSC 3 August 2025

Explanation

  • The core principle of paediatric nursing is family-centred care, which views the family as the constant in a child's life.
  • This approach involves a partnership between the healthcare team and the family, ensuring that care is planned around the whole family unit.
  • Family-centred care respects the family's values and beliefs and recognizes their crucial role in the child's health and well-being.
  • It empowers the family by providing them with the information and support needed to make informed decisions and participate in their child's care.
  • Research and modern practice have shown that this collaborative approach leads to better health outcomes, reduced stress for the child and family, and improved satisfaction with care.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Children are not miniature adults. They have distinct anatomical, physiological, immunological, and psychological differences that require specialized care and assessment.
  • Option C: Play is a crucial therapeutic intervention in paediatrics. It is used for assessment, education, and helping children cope with the stress of illness and hospitalization. It should be prioritized, not overlooked for paperwork.
  • Option D: Minimizing family involvement is counterproductive and harmful. It increases the child's anxiety and deprives the healthcare team of the family's expertise on their own child.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: Knowing The foundational principles of paediatric nursing, specifically the concept of family-centred care helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
  • Implementing family-centred care leads to better adherence to treatment plans, as families who are involved and informed are more likely to follow through with care at home.
  • It reduces emotional distress for both the child and parents, creating a more positive healthcare experience and fostering trust.
  • Nurses act as facilitators, empowering families to advocate for their child and become competent caregivers.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the fundamental principle of 'paediatric nursing'.
  • Evaluate each option based on modern paediatric healthcare philosophy.
  • Option A, 'Provide family-centred care', aligns with the central tenet that children's health is intrinsically linked to their family.
  • Option B, 'Treat children as small adults', is a well-known fallacy in medicine and nursing.
  • Option C, 'Prioritise paper works over play', incorrectly places administrative tasks above a key therapeutic tool for children.
  • Option D, 'Minimise family involvement', is the direct opposite of the correct approach. Therefore, family-centred care is the only valid principle among the choices.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: The foundational principles of paediatric nursing, specifically the concept of family-centred care.
  • Stem keywords: core principle, paediatric nursing
  • Lead-in keywords: What is

Question ID

QBisfd66O45ufs4y6ZawRd

Reference Book

E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 1 (pp 36-238 of 713) p. 27-29

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 13012-13014

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 156-158

Practise the full BTSC 3 August 2025

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.