Hospitalization
Hospitalization is stressful experience for children, adolescents and their families. It is an interruption of the child's active cycle of growth and development and of his and his family's life-styles. The child is removed from the daily routines of home life and contact with siblings, relatives and peers. He may be required to communicate with strangers and experience unfamiliar equipment and surroundings, hampered mobility and frightening and painful procedures. Hospitalization experience can be emotionally and developmentally damaging to the hospitalized child and his family. Preparation for such dramatic change is essential for both the child and his parents. The first contact with the hospital can set the tone for the rest of the hospital stay. The goal of the nurse is to assist the child and family to adopt positively to the hospital experience and to facilitate their hospital stay. In this unit we shall discuss about the care of hospitalized child with focus on importance of care for a child, stress of hospitalization, impact of hospitalization and nursing intervention for hospitalization.