International Journal of Nursing Research

This paper reports a case of postoperative nursing care for an adolescent left-behind child with cat-scratch disease (CSD). A 13-year-old girl suffered from left parotid and neck abscesses with fever due to cat scratch. She was transferred to our hospital after ineffective treatment in other hospitals, and was diagnosed with Bartonella henselae infection by etiological detection. Incision and drainage were performed, followed by anti-infection and symptomatic treatment. Nursing interventions focused on wound care, diet care, psychological care and continuous care. Individualized measures were implemented according to the patient’s conditions of severe obesity, impaired fasting glucose, hyperuricemia and the psychological characteristics of left-behind children. The patient improved and was discharged 4 days after operation. The incision healed well during 40 days of follow-up without complications. The results suggest that for adolescent left-behind children with CSD, systematic holistic nursing based on standard treatment, with emphasis on psychosocial needs and long-term health management, can effectively promote rehabilitation and improve prognosis.

Cat-scratch disease; Adolescence; Left-behind children; Postoperative nursing; Bartonella henselae