Evidence-based practice.
Consider the following patient scenario:
A mother comes in with 9-month-old girl. The infant is 68.5cm in length (25th percentile per CDC growth chart), weighs 6.75kg (5th percentile per CDC growth chart), and has a head circumference of 43cm (25th percentile per CDC growth chart).
Describe the developmental markers a nurse should assess for a 9-month-old female infant. Discuss the recommendations you would give the mother. Explain why these recommendations are based on evidence-based practice.
Sample Answer
Developmental markers that a nurse should assess for a 9-month-old female infant include:
- Physical development: Sits without support, crawls, pulls self to stand, stands while holding support, uses fingers to rake food towards herself, and moves things from one hand to the other.
- Cognitive development: Plays peek-a-boo, looks for objects when they fall, understands simple commands, and has a pincer grasp.
- Language development: Babbles, says “mama” and “dada”, and understands simple words like “no” and “bye-bye”.
- Social and emotional development: Shows affection to familiar people, is shy around strangers, and has a range of facial expressions.