Question

A nurse is providing discharge teaching to the parent of a child who is 1 week postoperative following a cleft palate repair: True/ False For which of the following members of the interprofessional team should the nurse initiate a referral?

a) Occupational therapist
b) Speech therapist
c) Respiratory therapist
d) Physical therapist

Answer 1

For a child 1 week postoperative following a cleft palate repair, a nurse should initiate a referral to a speech therapist, which is most directly related to the child's recovery needs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question falls under the Medicine category, specifically dealing with postoperative care for a child who has undergone a cleft palate repair. When considering the interprofessional team members to refer for a child postoperative following a cleft palate repair, a nurse should certainly consider initiating a referral for a speech therapist. Cleft palate repairs can significantly affect a child's ability to speak clearly, and speech therapy is often a necessary part of the recovery process to help the child develop proper speaking techniques.

While referrals to other specialists such as occupational therapists or respiratory therapists may be appropriate depending on the individual needs of the child, a referral to a speech therapist is the most directly related to the child's needs following a cleft palate repair. A physical therapist generally would not be indicated unless the child has other issues that would benefit from physical therapy.