Providing Emotional Support to Parents of Children with Genetic Disorders

The nurse is caring for a couple who have just learned that their infant has a genetic disorder. What would be least appropriate for the nurse to do at this time?A. Actively listening to the parents’ concernsB. Teaching the parents about the child’s medical needsC. Providing time for the parents to ask questions D. Offering suggestions for support services

Answer: BRationale: The parents are most likely overwhelmed with learning the diagnosis and are dealing with a wide range of emotions and reactions. Therefore, it would be inappropriate at this time to attempt teaching them. Rather, the nurse would provide emotional support, actively listening to the parents, allowing time for questions, and offering suggestions for support to assist them in dealing with this new challenge. Teaching can be done at a later time.

Answer: B. Teaching the parents about the child’s medical needs.

Explanation:
When parents learn that their child has a genetic disorder, they may experience overwhelming emotions such as shock, disbelief, guilt, anger, sadness, and confusion. Providing information about the child’s medical needs may be overwhelming for parents during this time. Therefore, it would be least appropriate for the nurse to teach the parents about the child’s medical needs immediately after they learned about the diagnosis. The nurse should focus on actively listening to the parents’ concerns, providing emotional support, and empathizing with the parents’ experience. The nurse should provide time for the parents to ask questions, validate their feelings, and offer suggestions for support services such as counseling or support groups. Teaching about the child’s medical needs can be done gradually and in coordination with the healthcare team over time.

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