# Situation: A nurse at a Rural Health Unit (RHU) runs a well-child clinic for children aged 3 to 6 years before they enter school. After a finger-prick test, a 4-year-old boy cries for a bandage even though the site has stopped bleeding. The nurse explains to his mother that preschoolers want a bandage because they:

> source: MyMerci (mymerci.kr)  
> url: https://mymerci.kr/pages/nclex_q.php?qn_id=629636  
> language: ko  
> subject: Nursing Practice II — Maternal and Child Health Nursing

## 문제

Situation: A nurse at a Rural Health Unit (RHU) runs a well-child clinic for children aged 3 to 6 years before they enter school.

After a finger-prick test, a 4-year-old boy cries for a bandage even though the site has stopped bleeding. The nurse explains to his mother that preschoolers want a bandage because they:

## 보기

1. Understand that a bandage keeps germs from entering
2. Want proof of their bravery to show their classmates
3. Fear that their insides will leak out of the hole **✔ 정답**
4. Are testing whether the nurse will set clear limits

**정답: 3**

## 해설

Preschoolers think in a preoperational, concrete way and fear bodily injury and mutilation. They may believe that their body contents can leak out through a puncture, so a bandage over the site reassures them.

## 심화 해설

Why the preschooler wants a bandage
Preschoolers fear bodily injury and mutilation. Their thinking is preoperational: concrete, magical, and not yet based on a correct understanding of how the body works. A preschooler may believe that the body is like a container and that its contents can leak out through a hole in the skin. A bandage closes the hole in the child's mind, even after bleeding has stopped. The 4-year-old cries for a bandage because he fears that his insides will leak out of the puncture, so placing one reassures him.

Applying this in practice
The nurse places a bandage over any puncture site, including small finger pricks, and lets the child see that the hole is covered. Choosing the bandage or putting it on together can also give the child a sense of control. Explanations are brief, concrete, and honest, such as telling him that the bandage keeps the spot safe while it heals. The nurse avoids words that can be frightening to a preschooler, such as cut or take blood, and uses gentler terms where possible.

Why the other explanations do not fit

| Explanation | Why it does not fit a 4-year-old |
| --- | --- |
| Understands that a bandage keeps germs out | Understanding germs as a cause of illness develops in the school-age years |
| Wants proof of bravery to show classmates | Showing achievement to peers is more typical of school-age children |
| Is testing whether the nurse will set limits | The request comes from fear of bodily injury, not limit testing |
| Fears that his insides will leak out | Fits preschool fear of bodily injury and preoperational thinking |

Watch out! The germ explanation sounds sensible to an adult, which makes it a tempting distractor. The question asks about the child's reason, not the nurse's reason, so the answer must reflect how a preschooler thinks.

Development across ages
Fears related to procedures change with age. Infants and toddlers fear separation from parents most. Preschoolers fear bodily injury and mutilation and may see procedures as punishment. School-age children fear loss of control and want to show bravery and competence. Adolescents worry about changes to body image and loss of privacy. Matching the explanation to the child's age is a common exam skill.

Exam takeaway
Preschoolers fear bodily injury and believe their insides can leak out of a puncture, so a bandage reassures them. Key point! Always cover a preschooler's puncture site, even when it has stopped bleeding.

## 임상 시나리오

Bandages and Preschool Fears4-year-old after a finger prick
Preschoolers fear bodily injury and mutilation and may believe their insides can leak out through a puncture.

Cover every puncture site with a bandage, even after bleeding stops, and let the child see it or help choose it.

Use brief, concrete, honest explanations and avoid frightening words.

CautionDo not refuse a bandage because the site has stopped bleeding; the request reflects real fear, not misbehavior.

## 핵심 개념

- **Preoperational thought** — Piaget's stage, about 2 to 7 years, with concrete, egocentric, and magical thinking.
- **Fear of bodily injury** — A common preschool fear that procedures will damage or break the body.
- **Body integrity** — A child's sense that the body is whole and intact, often threatened by procedures in preschoolers.
- **Magical thinking** — Belief that thoughts, wishes, or actions can cause unrelated events.

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