Learning objectives
In this chapter you will:
• Develop your understanding of evidence based nursing assessments and interventions used in the care of acutely ill young people
• Develop your understanding of the aetiology, signs and symptoms of key acute illnesses experienced by young people in Australia
• Consider the developmental needs of young people in the planning and implementation of nursing care
• Explore the impact of illness and hospitalisation on young people
Introduction
In this chapter, we focus on the nursing care of young people, or adolescents. The transition to adolescence is a complex and critical period of development, with significant social, emotional and physical changes. Similar to childhood, adolescent development and maturation is complex, and differs between individuals. When planning nursing care, consideration for the individual adolescent, their characteristics and their stage of development is essential.
The reasons why adolescents require admission to hospital are more likely to be related to an injury or chronic condition. While most injuries are mild, and can be managed at home by parents, there are times when care and treatment for injury or illness results in the admission of the young person to hospital. The nursing care of children and young people with a chronic condition is addressed in Chapter 10. In this chapter, we will focus on the care of young people who need nursing care due to common acute injuries. In addition, the management of young people with appendicitis will also be explored in this chapter, as the peak incidence of this condition occurs in young people. Adolescence is a time when many young people begin to experiment with alcohol and other substances, and this can result in acute and unexpected illness. Thus the management of a young person with alcohol ingestion is also reviewed.
Key issues for young people during Hospitalization
Injury, illness and admission to hospital can be significant interruptions in the life of a young person. Wherever possible, we do our best to minimise the disruption by avoiding admission and providing ambulatory care in the community when it is available and appropriate to do so. However, some situations do require admission; when this occurs, ideally a young person is best cared for in an adolescent unit – an environment that understands the unique psychosocial and physical needs of adolescents.