Young Boy Fallen from a Tree

Description

During a minimally supervised summer play session with peers a 4 year old boy has fallen out of a tree in a community 50 miles south of the hospital and has been transported to the hospital by ambulance on his own as his parents are unable to come right away. He has broken a leg in several places and has been placed in traction for 6 weeks. He has no family in town and the parents are of limited financial resources. They have 3 younger children at home to care for and find getting to visit their hospitalized child impossible at this point. The child is afraid, in significant discomfort and unable to move. He needs considerable nursing care, stimulation, care, and companionship to quell his anxiety and loneliness, and reassurance that he will be going home after he is out of traction. While in the hospital the child’s head nurse and doctor do not see eye to eye when considering his medical needs. There have been conflicting opinions revolving around the role of the doctor as some of the healthcare team find he does not carry his weight in terms of caring for the child. Malpractice claims against the doctor have made for a more costly treatment for the boy and the social worker and child and youth worker are under more pressure to find financial support for the family. The nurse has informed the child and youth worker, early childhood educator and the social worker that he feels the child’s depression has had a negative effect on his eating habits. This in turn has made his weight drop immensely. The early childhood educator has had difficulty getting the child involved in therapeutic activities which could help to ease some of his pain and discomfort while helping to stabilize his weight. All disciplines, aside from the doctor, are concerned with finding ways to get the family and the patient in the company of one another.