The nurse-patient relationship of the author and a child with a sensory disorder motivated this student nurse to elaborate the present work. As part of her own direct participation in the learning process during her pediatric nursing course, the student describes what she learned while studying the impact of illness and hospitalization on a child and his family. Through this experience she came to recognize not only her own value and hability to meet the needs of the child and his family, but also the importance of personal and professional involvement in order to provide effective nursing care.
Nurse-patient relations; Nursing care; Pediatric nursing