Concepts for Nursing Practice 3rd Edition by Jean
Foret Giddens 9780323581936 Chapter 1-57
,Concept 01: Development
Giddens: Concepts for Nursing Practice, 3rd Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse manager of a pediatric clinic could confirm that the new nurse recognized the purpose
of the HEADSS Adolescent Risk Profile when the new nurse responds that it is used to assess for
needs related to
a. anticipatory guidance.
b. low-risk adolescents.
c. physical development.
d. sexual development.
ANS: A
The HEADSS Adolescent Risk Profile is a psychosocial assessment screening tool which assesses
home, education, activities, drugs, sex, and suicide for the purpose of identifying high-risk
adolescents and the need for anticipatory guidance. It is used to identify high-risk, not low-risk,
adolescents. Physical development is assessed with anthropometric data. Sexual development is
assessed using physical examination.
2. The nurse preparing a teaching plan for a preschooler knows that, according to Piaget, the
expected stage of development for a preschooler is
a. concrete operational.
b. formal operational.
c. preoperational.
d. sensorimotor.
ANS: C
The expected stage of development for a preschooler (3–4 years old) is pre-operational. Concrete
operational describes the thinking of a school-age child (7–11 years old). Formal operational describes the
thinking of an individual after about 11 years of age. Sensorimotor describes the earliest pattern of
thinking from birth to 2 years old.
3. The school nurse talking with a high school class about the difference between growth and
development would best describe growth as
a. processes by which early cells specialize.
b. psychosocial and cognitive changes.
c. qualitative changes associated with aging.
d. quantitative changes in size or weight.
ANS: D Growth is a quantitative change in which an increase in cell number and size results in an increase in
overall size or weight of the body or any of its parts. The processes by which early cells specialize are referred to as
differentiation. Psychosocial and cognitive changes are referred to as development. Qualitative changes associated
with aging are referred to as maturation.
, 4.The most appropriate response of the nurse when a mother asks what the Denver II does is that
it
a. can diagnose developmental disabilities.
b. identifies a need for physical therapy.
c. is a developmental screening tool.
d. provides a framework for health teaching.
ANS: C
The Denver II is the most commonly used measure of developmental status used by healthcare
professionals; it is a screening tool. Screening tools do not provide a diagnosis.
Diagnosis requires a thorough neurodevelopment history and physical examination. Developmental delay,
which is suggested by screening, is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The need for any therapy would be
identified with a comprehensive evaluation, not a screening tool. Some providers use the Denver II as a
framework for teaching about expected development, but this is not the primary purpose of the tool.
5. To plan early intervention and care for an infant with Down syndrome, the nurse considers
knowledge of other physical development exemplars such as
a. cerebral palsy.
b. autism.
c. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
d. failure to thrive.
ANS: D
Failure to thrive is also a physical development exemplar. Cerebral palsy is an exemplar of
motor/developmental delay. Autism is an exemplar of social/emotional developmental delay. ADHD is an
exemplar of a cognitive disorder.
6. To plan early intervention and care for a child with a developmental delay, the nurse would consider
knowledge of the concepts most significantly impacted by development, including
a. culture.
b. environment.
c. functional status.
d. nutrition.
ANS: C
Function is one of the concepts most significantly impacted by development. Others include sensory-
perceptual, cognition, mobility, reproduction, and sexuality. Knowledge of these concepts can help the nurse
anticipate areas that need to be addressed. Culture is a concept that is considered to significantly affect
development; the difference is the concepts that affect development are those that represent major
influencing factors (causes); hence determination of development would be the focus of preventive
interventions. Environment is considered to significantly affect development. Nutrition is considered to
significantly affect development.
7. A mother complains to the nurse at the pediatric clinic that her 4-year-old child always talks to her
toys and makes up stories. The mother wants her child to have a psychological evaluation. The
nurse’s best initial response is to
a. refer the child to a psychologist immediately.
b. explain that playing make believe is normal at this age.
, c. complete a developmental screening using a validated tool.
d. separate the child from the mother to get more information.
ANS: B
By the end of the fourth year, it is expected that a child will engage in fantasy, so this is normal at this age.
A referral to a psychologist would be premature based only on the complaint of the mother. Completing a
developmental screening would be very appropriate but not the initial response. The nurse would certainly
want to get more information, but separating the child from the mother is not necessary at this time.
8. A 17-year-old girl is hospitalized for appendicitis, and her mother asks the nurse why she is so needy
and acting like a child. The best response of the nurse is that in the hospital, adolescents
a. have separation anxiety.
b. rebel against rules.
c. regress because of stress.
d. want to know everything.
ANS: C
Regression to an earlier stage of development is a common response to stress. Separation anxiety is most
common in infants and toddlers. Rebellion against hospital rules is usually not an issue if the adolescent
understands the rules and would not create childlike behaviors. An adolescent may want to “know
everything” with their logical thinking and deductive reasoning, but that would not explain why they would
act like a child.
Foret Giddens 9780323581936 Chapter 1-57
,Concept 01: Development
Giddens: Concepts for Nursing Practice, 3rd Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse manager of a pediatric clinic could confirm that the new nurse recognized the purpose
of the HEADSS Adolescent Risk Profile when the new nurse responds that it is used to assess for
needs related to
a. anticipatory guidance.
b. low-risk adolescents.
c. physical development.
d. sexual development.
ANS: A
The HEADSS Adolescent Risk Profile is a psychosocial assessment screening tool which assesses
home, education, activities, drugs, sex, and suicide for the purpose of identifying high-risk
adolescents and the need for anticipatory guidance. It is used to identify high-risk, not low-risk,
adolescents. Physical development is assessed with anthropometric data. Sexual development is
assessed using physical examination.
2. The nurse preparing a teaching plan for a preschooler knows that, according to Piaget, the
expected stage of development for a preschooler is
a. concrete operational.
b. formal operational.
c. preoperational.
d. sensorimotor.
ANS: C
The expected stage of development for a preschooler (3–4 years old) is pre-operational. Concrete
operational describes the thinking of a school-age child (7–11 years old). Formal operational describes the
thinking of an individual after about 11 years of age. Sensorimotor describes the earliest pattern of
thinking from birth to 2 years old.
3. The school nurse talking with a high school class about the difference between growth and
development would best describe growth as
a. processes by which early cells specialize.
b. psychosocial and cognitive changes.
c. qualitative changes associated with aging.
d. quantitative changes in size or weight.
ANS: D Growth is a quantitative change in which an increase in cell number and size results in an increase in
overall size or weight of the body or any of its parts. The processes by which early cells specialize are referred to as
differentiation. Psychosocial and cognitive changes are referred to as development. Qualitative changes associated
with aging are referred to as maturation.
, 4.The most appropriate response of the nurse when a mother asks what the Denver II does is that
it
a. can diagnose developmental disabilities.
b. identifies a need for physical therapy.
c. is a developmental screening tool.
d. provides a framework for health teaching.
ANS: C
The Denver II is the most commonly used measure of developmental status used by healthcare
professionals; it is a screening tool. Screening tools do not provide a diagnosis.
Diagnosis requires a thorough neurodevelopment history and physical examination. Developmental delay,
which is suggested by screening, is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The need for any therapy would be
identified with a comprehensive evaluation, not a screening tool. Some providers use the Denver II as a
framework for teaching about expected development, but this is not the primary purpose of the tool.
5. To plan early intervention and care for an infant with Down syndrome, the nurse considers
knowledge of other physical development exemplars such as
a. cerebral palsy.
b. autism.
c. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
d. failure to thrive.
ANS: D
Failure to thrive is also a physical development exemplar. Cerebral palsy is an exemplar of
motor/developmental delay. Autism is an exemplar of social/emotional developmental delay. ADHD is an
exemplar of a cognitive disorder.
6. To plan early intervention and care for a child with a developmental delay, the nurse would consider
knowledge of the concepts most significantly impacted by development, including
a. culture.
b. environment.
c. functional status.
d. nutrition.
ANS: C
Function is one of the concepts most significantly impacted by development. Others include sensory-
perceptual, cognition, mobility, reproduction, and sexuality. Knowledge of these concepts can help the nurse
anticipate areas that need to be addressed. Culture is a concept that is considered to significantly affect
development; the difference is the concepts that affect development are those that represent major
influencing factors (causes); hence determination of development would be the focus of preventive
interventions. Environment is considered to significantly affect development. Nutrition is considered to
significantly affect development.
7. A mother complains to the nurse at the pediatric clinic that her 4-year-old child always talks to her
toys and makes up stories. The mother wants her child to have a psychological evaluation. The
nurse’s best initial response is to
a. refer the child to a psychologist immediately.
b. explain that playing make believe is normal at this age.
, c. complete a developmental screening using a validated tool.
d. separate the child from the mother to get more information.
ANS: B
By the end of the fourth year, it is expected that a child will engage in fantasy, so this is normal at this age.
A referral to a psychologist would be premature based only on the complaint of the mother. Completing a
developmental screening would be very appropriate but not the initial response. The nurse would certainly
want to get more information, but separating the child from the mother is not necessary at this time.
8. A 17-year-old girl is hospitalized for appendicitis, and her mother asks the nurse why she is so needy
and acting like a child. The best response of the nurse is that in the hospital, adolescents
a. have separation anxiety.
b. rebel against rules.
c. regress because of stress.
d. want to know everything.
ANS: C
Regression to an earlier stage of development is a common response to stress. Separation anxiety is most
common in infants and toddlers. Rebellion against hospital rules is usually not an issue if the adolescent
understands the rules and would not create childlike behaviors. An adolescent may want to “know
everything” with their logical thinking and deductive reasoning, but that would not explain why they would
act like a child.
