A 12-year-old girl who has not yet reached menarche comes to the pediatrician’s office for her annual well-child check. As the nurse is weighing and measuring her, the child says emphatically that she does not want to get her period. Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make to this child?

Choice A reason: Intravenous administration isn’t inherently safer, as it carries risks like infection or extravasation. Less trauma from fewer injections is accurate, making this incorrect, as it overstates safety compared to the true benefit of reduced physical and emotional trauma in pediatric IV medication delivery.

Choice B reason: Intravenous medication reduces the need for multiple injections, minimizing physical and emotional trauma for children. This aligns with pediatric nursing principles for patient comfort, making it the correct statement about the advantage of IV administration compared to repeated intramuscular or subcutaneous injections.

Choice C reason: IV medications are absorbed rapidly, not slowly, due to direct bloodstream delivery. Less trauma from fewer injections is the true benefit, making this incorrect, as it misrepresents the pharmacokinetics of intravenous administration in the context of pediatric medication delivery.

Choice D reason: IV medication is delivered into veins, not fatty tissue, which describes subcutaneous injections. Reduced trauma from fewer injections is accurate, making this incorrect, as it confuses IV administration with another route in the nurse’s understanding of medication delivery methods.

Choice A reason: Having the nurse do everything may disrupt the toddler’s trust in parents, hindering adaptation. Following home routines provides familiarity, making this counterproductive and incorrect compared to maintaining continuity to ease the toddler’s transition from home to the hospital environment.

Choice B reason: Telling a toddler expectations assumes cognitive understanding beyond their developmental stage, potentially increasing anxiety. Home routines offer comfort, making this less effective and incorrect compared to the nurse’s focus on familiarity to support the toddler’s hospital adaptation process.

Choice C reason: Following home routines maintains familiarity, reducing stress and aiding a toddler’s adaptation to the hospital. This aligns with pediatric psychosocial care principles, making it the most beneficial action for the nurse to implement to ease the toddler’s transition from home to hospital.

Choice D reason: Allowing a toddler to dictate actions disregards necessary medical routines, potentially compromising care and safety. Home routines provide structure, making this impractical and incorrect compared to the nurse’s role in maintaining familiarity to support the toddler’s hospital adaptation.