Pediatrics Grand Rounds

NURS 421: Clinical Management of Children of the Family

Purpose of this Assignment: To provide the student an opportunity to integrate knowledge from the sciences, developmental theory, and physical assessment data to the care of a pediatric patient and family in the acute care setting. The student will utilize critical thinking and independent judgments in presenting a holistic plan of care in a formal oral presentation.

Student Approach to Assignment: When approaching this grand rounds assignment, I wanted to pick a patient whose diagnosis I was familiar with and who I could learn more about. I chose an 8-year-old male admitted to the PICU for asthma exacerbation. This patient was awake and alert the entire time, so I was able to talk to him, interact with him, and observe how child life interacts with PICU patients. I knew I would be able to find a lot of good research on asthma in pediatric patients, which was another reason I chose this patient. 

Reason for Inclusion of the Assignment in the Portfolio: I included this assignment in my portfolio because it shows my ability to use the nursing process when caring for a pediatric patient. It also demonstrates how I can use research to inform my plan of care. 

• Domain 3: Population Health Descriptor
  • End of program learning outcome 22: Demonstrate effective collaboration and mutual accountability with relevant stakeholders. (Domain 3) (3,4).
    • In this presentation, I mention collaborating with the PICU child life specialist, respiratory therapist, physicians, and the patient’s family. Effective collaboration across the interdisciplinary team ensures we provide holistic, patient-centered care. Being in the PICU, I was only able to observe; I was a lower-stakes participant in this situation, but I could still see how important collaboration is in the care of PICU patients. Another stakeholder involved was the patient’s family. We ensured that the family was involved in the patient’s plan of care and all decision-making. 
• Domain 4: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline 
  • End of program learning outcome 25: Applies research-based knowledge from nursing as the basis for culturally sensitive practice. (Domain 4) (4.2)
    • In this presentation, I used research-based knowledge to support clinical decision-making in administering the medications albuterol, methylprednisolone, and magnesium. Current studies were used to justify the treatment choices, incorporating nursing research into practice to provide evidence-based care.