Supporting Healthy Families

Case Study You are a Registered Nurse workin" rel="nofollow">ing at the Early Childhood Clin" rel="nofollow">inic with a view to commencin" rel="nofollow">ing the Child and Family Health Nurse educational pathway. It is your 6th week and you are growin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in confidence every day. This mornin" rel="nofollow">ing, the Clin" rel="nofollow">inical Nurse Consultant suggests you take charge of the next case and report back to her. Emma’s Story: A 34-year-old woman Emma presents with her four-year-old daughter Lucy, for examin" rel="nofollow">ination. Emma is six months pregnant with her third child and has a partner Michael, who is often away on contract work. Emma’s family live in" rel="nofollow">interstate and she has been in" rel="nofollow">in the area for only 6 weeks. Michael’s retired parents live locally, are supportive and Emma has a good relationship with them. Emma is worried about Lucy because she is a ‘fussy eater’ and would like you to weigh her. She also asks you what immunisations Lucy will need in" rel="nofollow">in preparation for goin" rel="nofollow">ing to school. On examin" rel="nofollow">ination Lucy’s height is 105cm and her weight is 15.5kgs. A head-to-toe physical assessment fin" rel="nofollow">inds no abnormalities. Emma then tells you about her 14 year old son Josh, who is about start Year 9. She discloses that she is anxious about him fittin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in at the new school. Josh misses his close friends as well as his father Michael, who is currently workin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in WA (Western Australia). Michael isn’t due back for three months but is hopin" rel="nofollow">ing to eventually fin" rel="nofollow">ind work locally. Emma looks tired and durin" rel="nofollow">ing your in" rel="nofollow">interactions with her she becomes teary and talks about her fears. With the new baby comin" rel="nofollow">ing, she is worried about how she will cope with Lucy, who can be very energetic, oppositional and hard to control. Assessment: Discuss the above case study and demonstrate support for healthy families from the perspective of the role of the Registered Nurse.