A 5-year-old child who is one day postoperative has bilateral eye patches in place and should be out of bed. What nursing intervention should be implemented first before leaving the bedside?

• A. Speak to the child when entering the room.
• B. Allow the child to assist in feeding himself.
• C. Orient the child to the immediate surroundings.
• D. Allow the parents to stay in the room with the child.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is prioritizing safety for a child who is just post-op and cannot see due to eye patches. When vision is temporarily blocked, the child's ability to navigate the room is reduced, increasing the risk of disorientation, falling, or pulling on lines or equipment. Before leaving the bedside, orienting the child to the immediate surroundings helps establish a mental map of where things are—the bed, the call bell, the chair or family member, and the general room layout. This makes it safer for the child to move even briefly and reassures them about where to get help.

By giving the child a clear sense of place, you reduce fear and the chance of unnecessary movement that could lead to injury. The other actions, while helpful for comfort and communication, do not directly address safety in the moment the nurse is stepping away. Speaking to the child on entry is good for reassurance, allowing feeding yourself supports independence, and letting parents stay is comforting, but none of these first-before-leaving steps directly mitigates the immediate safety risk posed by temporary vision loss.