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Difficulty: MediumCollaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

A nurse is participating in an interdisciplinary care conference for a 7-year-old client with spastic cerebral palsy who is nearing discharge after treatment for pneumonia. The parents express profound exhaustion, stating they must feed, dress, and bathe the child entirely because the child struggles significantly with grasping utensils and manipulating clothing fasteners. Which recommendation by the nurse demonstrates the most appropriate interdisciplinary collaboration to address this specific concern?

  1. Requesting a consultation with an occupational therapist to evaluate the child for adaptive equipment and self-care strategies.Answer
  2. B
    Consulting a physical therapist to develop a progressive exercise regimen for improving the child's independent ambulation.
  3. C
    Assigning the unit's unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to demonstrate proper feeding and dressing techniques to the parents.
  4. D
    Reassuring the parents that total dependence in daily activities is a standard developmental expectation for a child with this diagnosis.

Answer

The nurse should request a consultation with an occupational therapist to evaluate the child for adaptive equipment and self-care strategies.
The correct answer directly addresses the client's fine motor deficits and the parents' need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Occupational therapists specialize in assessing and treating deficits in fine motor coordination and can recommend adaptive equipment (e.g., built-up utensils, button hooks) to promote maximum independence in self-care tasks.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the clinical scenario and identify the primary problem.
The parents are exhausted due to the child's inability to perform ADLs (feeding, dressing, bathing) caused by fine motor deficits (struggling to grasp utensils and manipulate fasteners).
Accurate problem identification is required to select the correct interdisciplinary team member.
2
Differentiate the roles of allied health professionals.
Physical therapists (PT) focus on gross motor skills (walking, balance, strength). Occupational therapists (OT) focus on fine motor skills and independence in activities of daily living (ADLs).
Understanding scope of practice prevents inappropriate referrals.
3
Select the intervention that directly addresses the identified problem.
An occupational therapy consult directly targets the fine motor deficits and provides adaptive strategies for feeding and dressing, thereby promoting child independence and reducing caregiver burden.
Effective interdisciplinary collaboration requires matching the client's specific deficit with the appropriate specialist.

Key Concept

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Scope of Allied Health Professionals
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Topics

Collaboration with Interdisciplinary Team

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