NURS 1116 Week 8 Growth & Development Master Study Guide Flashcards

Flashcards covering key principles of growth and development across the lifespan, theoretical frameworks, assessment techniques, and priority nursing interventions.

What is the key difference between physical growth and development?

Growth is a measurable physical increase in size (height, weight, head circumference, bone/muscle growth), whereas development is gaining skills and functions (motor, cognitive, communication, psychosocial).

How do cephalocaudal and proximodistal developmental patterns differ?

Cephalocaudal pattern proceeds from head-to-toe, while proximodistal pattern proceeds from the center/midline outward toward hands and fingers.

What are the four main developmental stages of play in order from infancy to school-age?

1) Solitary play (infants play independently), 2) Parallel play (toddlers play beside others without a shared goal), 3) Associative play (preschoolers interact/share without formal organization), and 4) Cooperative play (school-age children participate in organized roles and rules).

What defines parallel play in toddlers?

Toddlers playing side-by-side or beside each other with similar toys, but without a shared goal or organized game.

What are Erikson's eight psychosocial conflicts across the lifespan?

Infant: Trust vs mistrust; Toddler: Autonomy vs shame/doubt; Preschool: Initiative vs guilt; School-age: Industry vs inferiority; Adolescent: Identity vs role confusion; Young adult: Intimacy vs isolation; Middle adult: Generativity vs stagnation; Older adult: Ego integrity vs despair.

What are Piaget's four stages of cognitive development in order?

1) Sensorimotor, 2) Preoperational, 3) Concrete operational, 4) Formal operational.

What cognitive landmark is developed during Piaget's sensorimotor stage?

Object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

What are the three main stages of prenatal development?

1) Pre-embryonic (approx. 0-2 weeks), 2) Embryonic (approx. 2-8 weeks; organ formation occurs making teratogen exposure critical), and 3) Fetal (approx. 9 weeks to birth; growth and maturation of organ systems).

What are the expected weight gain milestones for an infant at 5-6 months and 12 months?

Birth weight roughly doubles by 5-6 months and triples by 12 months.

How should a nurse count an infant's respiratory rate and apical pulse?

Count both the respiratory rate (observing inspiration/expiration and abdominal movement) and apical pulse for a FULL MINUTE.

How should the nurse adjust the pinna when performing an ear examination on an infant/toddler versus a preschooler through adolescent?

For infants and toddlers, pull the pinna DOWN and BACK. For preschoolers through adolescents (and adults), pull the pinna UP and BACK.

What nursing approach best supports a toddler's autonomy and safety?

Offer limited safe choices (e.g., give 2 safe choices), use simple language, and prioritize injury prevention (poisoning, falls, drowning).

Why do preschoolers often distort or fear medical procedures?

Preschoolers are in Piaget's preoperational stage with strong imagination, symbolic play, and egocentric or illogical reasoning, which can distort their understanding of procedures.

What nursing interventions fit the developmental needs of a school-age child?

Allow the child to participate in care, explain using concrete and logical information, and reinforce competence.

What is the appropriate nursing approach when teaching an adolescent patient?

Respect privacy and growing autonomy, and include the adolescent directly in teaching and decision-making.

What four clinical findings form the metabolic syndrome cluster in middle adulthood?

Abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and abnormal/high cholesterol risk.

Why is new or acute confusion in an older adult classified as a red flag?

New or acute confusion is not a normal finding of aging; it indicates an acute change in condition (such as delirium) that requires immediate assessment to find and treat the underlying cause.

How do delirium, dementia, and depression differ in older adult assessment?

Delirium is acute/sudden confusion or attention change requiring search for an underlying cause; dementia is chronic/progressive cognitive decline; depression is a mood disorder requiring screening rather than assuming it is normal aging.

What is the difference between ADLs and IADLs?

ADLs are basic self-care activities (bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting), whereas IADLs are complex independent-living tasks (finances, shopping, cooking, telephone use, medication management).

What is the correct physical assessment sequence for the adult abdomen?

INSPECT -> AUSCULTATE -> then palpate/percuss (LOOK -> LISTEN -> TOUCH).

What is 'The Master Chain' sequence for reasoning through pediatric growth and development questions?

AGE -> ERIKSON -> PIAGET -> PLAY -> EXPECTED/UNEXPECTED -> SAFETY -> NURSING ACTION.

When assessing a stable client with an unclear developmental finding, what should the nurse do first?

Gather additional assessment data first before intervening.