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.

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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.

Full Answer Section

The following are some recommendations that a nurse can give the mother of a 9-month-old female infant:

  • Continue to provide a safe and nurturing environment for her child. This includes making sure that the home is childproofed and that the child is supervised at all times.
  • Provide opportunities for her child to explore and learn. This can be done by providing a variety of toys and activities, and by taking the child on outings to new places.
  • Talk and sing to her child often. This will help to promote language development.
  • Read to her child every day. This will help to promote literacy and a love of reading.
  • Provide her child with healthy foods and drinks. This will help to ensure that the child is getting the nutrients she needs to grow and develop properly.
  • Take her child to the doctor for regular checkups. This will help to ensure that the child is meeting developmental milestones and is healthy overall.

These recommendations are based on evidence-based practice. For example, a study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children who were read to regularly at a young age had better language skills than children who were not read to as often. Another study, published in the journal Child Development, found that children who were given opportunities to explore and learn in their environment had better cognitive skills than children who were not given these opportunities.

The nurse should also encourage the mother to ask questions and to share her concerns. The nurse can provide the mother with information and resources to help her support her child’s development.

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