Online Companion: Fundamentals of Nursing Standards and Practice 2E

Chapter Summary

In Chapter 17, the reader is offered a thorough and concise overview of the human life cycle. Eleven stages of the life cycle are identified: prenatal period, neonate, infant, toddler, preschooler, school -age child, preadolescent, adolescent, young adult, middle adult, and older adult. For each of these stages, scientific and theoretical data is provided for the physiological changes, psychosocial tasks, cognitive and moral development and spiritual growth that is normative within that stage. Most of the specific information is organized into clear and readable tables. Development occurs continuously over the life span and is influenced by heredity, life experiences, health status, and cultural expectations. While there are no absolute rules in predicting the exact rate of development for an individual, the overall sequence of development is predictable. For instance, gross motor control is achieved before fine motor coordination is possible in the young child. Every stage of development has specific characteristics so it is known that the adolescent period is characterized by a search for identity.

The nurse practices in a holistic framework and uses knowledge of growth and development concepts to select nursing interventions that are appropriate to the client's developmental stage. Theories of human growth and development are useful to nurses as assessment parameters. Alterations in the expected pattern are indicators for early intervention. For instance, the eighteen year old female who has not started menstrual periods should be referred to a physician for evaluation. In Chapter 17, each of the eleven stages of human development is described in detail and the unique nursing considerations for each stage are discussed. The safety issues and health promotion focus for each stage are described. Sexually transmitted diseases are a serious health threat for adolescents. An overview of the common STDs, including characteristics and related nursing implications are presented in the chapter.