Issues in comprehensive pediatric nursing
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Physiologic and psychologic changes associated with sleep disturbance decrease the ability of a critically ill child to adapt to hospitalization and thus hamper recovery. Research demonstrates that intensive care settings interfere with sleep of adults, but little is known about the impact of these settings on children's sleep. An exploratory field study was conducted to describe the sleep-wake patterns of 1- and 2-year-old children in intensive care, identify intensive care environmental stimuli associated with sleep and waking states, compare the intensive care sleep-wake pattern to the pre-illness sleep-wake pattern, and determine the time required for children to return to their pre-illness sleep-wake pattern. ⋯ Sleep changes persisted after discharge from the PICU and the hospital. Total sleep time recovered more rapidly than nighttime awakening. Parents perceived that their child's sleep remained different longer than total sleep time and night awakening values demonstrated.
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This study explores the role of temperament in pediatric pain perception and responses. The sample consisted of 3- to 7-year-olds (N = 137) who required preoperative blood test by venipuncture. Blood sampling procedures were videotaped. ⋯ The temperament category threshold was found to relate to self-report and distress behaviors during the preparation phase. The temperament categories of activity, mood, approach, adaptability, intensity, and threshold related to children's previous pain responses and usual pain behaviors. These previous behaviors were strong predictors for their responses to venipuncture pain.