Nurse as supporter

On diagnosis, parents can experience a plethora of emotional reactions: guilt, anger, fear and disbelief. The child or young person faces a number of feelings: bewilderment, loss and fear. Emotional support from the nurse is important at this time to help family members develop coping strategies to manage the impact that the condition and its treatment will have. Such impact can centre on psychological, social and financial issues. The nurse is often present while the child and family learn of the diagnosis, and has an integral role in ensuring information is given in a way that is easily understood. Such information provides a platform for decision making and may help to combat some of the stress, anxiety and feelings of helplessness often experienced by parents. Play, as a communication tool, can help the child and siblings express fear and anxieties. It is also a useful mode for imparting information about treatment and care. By assessing on an ongoing basis and recognizing key periods within the illness trajectory, the nurse establishes child and family coping, subsequently providing the required care or referral to specialist support as necessary (e.g. psychologist).