For a toddler whose parents are leaving, which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?

For a toddler whose parents are leaving, which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?

• A. Risk for infection.
• B. Risk for anxiety.
• C. Impaired skin integrity.
• D. Acute pain.

Answer: (B)

When a toddler faces separation from parents, emotional distress is the most immediate concern because young children rely on caregiver security to feel safe. The nursing diagnosis should reflect this emotional response, so risk for anxiety is the best choice. In this age, separation can trigger behaviors such as crying, clinging to caregivers or staff, withdrawal, fear of strangers, and sleep or appetite changes—signs of anxiety rather than a physical problem. The other options describe physical issues that aren’t caused by parental departure: infection risk relates to exposure to germs, impaired skin integrity involves skin damage, and acute pain indicates current bodily discomfort. In care, focus on comforting the child, maintaining familiar routines, involving parents, and using transitional objects to ease the separation.

When a toddler faces separation from parents, emotional distress is the most immediate concern because young children rely on caregiver security to feel safe. The nursing diagnosis should reflect this emotional response, so risk for anxiety is the best choice. In this age, separation can trigger behaviors such as crying, clinging to caregivers or staff, withdrawal, fear of strangers, and sleep or appetite changes—signs of anxiety rather than a physical problem. The other options describe physical issues that aren’t caused by parental departure: infection risk relates to exposure to germs, impaired skin integrity involves skin damage, and acute pain indicates current bodily discomfort. In care, focus on comforting the child, maintaining familiar routines, involving parents, and using transitional objects to ease the separation.