Sixteen-year-old Bettina has been hospitalized 100 miles from home for a week. She is recovering from surgery to repair a broken kneecap, an injury incurred while skateboarding. She was cheerful and chatty when she first arrived, but the nurse notes in recent days she has become increasingly quiet and seems lonely. Which of the following nursing interventions would be most appropriate for Bettina? The nurse should
a) Suggest that she read books and magazines from the hospital bookmobile.
b) Ask Bettina's caregivers to bring her siblings and friends to visit.
c) Call the hospital's mental health unit to see if Bettina can get some counseling.
d) Show Bettina where the teen lounge in the hospital is so she can meet other teens, use a phone, and check her e-mail.
Answer: Show Bettina where the teen lounge in the hospital is so she can meet other teens, use a phone, and check her e-mail.