Growth and Development
An infant’s weight increases from 4 kg to 6 kg. Is this growth or development?
Growth — a measurable, quantitative change in body structure.
An infant is distressed when caregivers respond inconsistently. Which Erikson conflict applies?
Basic trust versus basic mistrust
An infant searches for a toy hidden beneath a blanket. Which cognitive ability?
Object permanence, in the sensorimotor stage.
Which theorist emphasized social interaction and culture in cognitive learning?
Lev Vygotsky.
A child obeys to avoid punishment. Which Kohlberg level?
Preconventional morality
An infant develops head control before standing. Which developmental pattern explains this?
Cephalocaudal development — head to toe.
A hospitalized toddler insists on self-feeding. Which psychosocial need should the nurse support?
Autonomy versus shame and doubt — encourage safe independence.
A 4-year-old believes an injection is punishment for misbehavior. Which thinking pattern?
Magical thinking in the preoperational stage.
A child completes a task with help but not alone. What is this learning range called?
Zone of proximal development
A student follows rules to gain teacher approval. Which Kohlberg level?
Conventional morality.
A toddler grasps with the whole hand before manipulating objects with fingers. Which patterns are illustrated?
Proximodistal development and differentiation — central to peripheral control and simple to complex skills.
A preschooler wants to help prepare supplies for a pretend patient. Which conflict applies?
Initiative versus guilt — support purposeful activities.
A 9-year-old learns infection prevention through hands-on demonstrations. Which Piaget stage?
Concrete operational thinking.
A nurse demonstrates a skill, guides practice, then reduces help. What strategy?
Scaffolding.
A student prioritizes fairness and rights even when rules conflict. Which Kohlberg level?
Postconventional morality.
A child’s weight percentile declines across visits but remains active. What should the nurse do?
Assess nutrition, illness, environmental factors, and serial growth measurements.
A 9-year-old is embarrassed about struggling with a school assignment. Which nursing approach helps?
Provide achievable tasks and acknowledge progress to support industry over inferiority.
Adolescents predict long-term vaping consequences using hypothetical scenarios. Which ability?
Formal operational thought — abstract and hypothetical reasoning.
A student learns by observing an experienced nurse. Which aspect of Vygotsky’s theory?
Learning through observation and social interaction.
A caregiver ignores their own needs to care for others. Which Gilligan level?
Conventional morality — self-sacrifice as goodness.
A nurse is assessing a 4-year-old child whose family recently moved to the United States. The child speaks fluently in the family's native language but responds minimally when the nurse asks questions in English.The nurse is concerned about a possible developmental delay.
What should the nurse do FIRST to determine whether the child has a language development problem?
Assess the child's communication abilities in their primary language and obtain additional information about language development from the family.
Cultural and language differences must be considered when assessing developmental milestones.
A 16-year-old explores career and personal values different from family expectations. Which stage and response apply?
Identity versus role confusion — encourage exploration and respect developing identity.
A child initially calls every four-legged animal a dog, then distinguishes cats. Which processes?
Assimilation first incorporates experiences into an existing scheme; accommodation modifies the scheme.
A child succeeds at a task after guided practice but not alone. How does Vygotsky explain this?
Assisted learning within the zone of proximal development pulls the child toward competence.
A nurse helps a caregiver balance their own health with a parent’s needs. Which Gilligan principle?
Postconventional morality — moral equality of self and others
Two same-age children have similar height and weight but different communication skills. Explain why.
Growth is quantitative; development is qualitative. Developmental timing varies with maturation, learning, culture, and opportunity.
A 76-year-old wonders whether their life mattered. Which conflict and intervention apply?
Ego integrity versus despair — encourage life review and reflection on meaning.
A 5-year-old is confused by an abstract health explanation. How should the nurse modify teaching?
Use simple language, concrete objects, demonstrations, and age-appropriate explanations.
Two similarly skilled children respond differently to teaching. How should the nurse apply Vygotsky?
Consider social and cultural experiences; assess each child’s current ability and provide individualized guidance.
One nurse emphasizes justice and rights.
One nurse emphasizes relationships and avoiding harm.
Which theories?
Kohlberg’s ethic of justice and Gilligan’s ethic of care and relationships.