Nursing Application
Freud’s theory has been criticized for several reasons he developed a theory of childhood based on his work with adults, primarily women who sought help in dealing with emotional issues; he viewed males as dominant; and he ignored the effects of culture and other experiences. However,some parts of his theory can be applied in nursing. Freud emphasized the importance of meeting the need of each stage in order to move successfully into future developmental stages. The crisis of illness can interfere with normal developmental processes and add challenges for the nurse who is striving to meet an ill child’s needs. For example, the importance of sucking in infancy guides the nurse to provide a pacifier for the infant who cannot have oral fluids. The preschool child’s concern about sexuality guides the nurse to provide privacy and clear explanations during any procedures involving the genial area. It may be necessary to teach parents that masturbation by the young child is normal and to help parents deal with it. The adolescent’s focus on relationships suggests that the nurse should include questions about significant friends during history taking .table 3-3 summarizes ways in which the nurse can apply these theoretical concepts to the care of children.