Introduction

Imagine you are a nurse working in a busy emergency department on a Thursday evening. There is a 6-month-old infant with a severe cough in Room 1, a 20-year-old with a leg laceration in Room 2, and a 65-year-old patient who fell and broke their arm in Room 3. As the nurse, you know each patient will need specific care—not only for their admitting diagnosis but for their specific age and stage of development as well. The 6-month-old will not be able to verbally communicate, and the caregivers may need additional support. The 20-year-old, though categorized as a young adult, may still have developmental traits more characteristic of the adolescent stage. The 65-year-old is likely to have additional medical concerns and a longer medical history to consider.

This chapter outlines the foundations of developmental stages as well as care considerations at each stage. Developmental theories are discussed to build the underpinnings of understanding for care and communication with patients as they grow and develop. Only by mastering this information can nurses provide appropriate, quality care to every patient they see.