Cognitive developmental theories provide a framework for understanding about how children act and perceive the world. However, every theory has both strengths and weaknesses. A certain theory may explain one aspect of cognitive development very well, but poorly address or completely ignore other aspects that are just as important. Two well known theories of cognitive development are Piaget’s stage theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. As I plan to be a pediatric nurse, these two theories will be evaluated based on how applicable they are to the field of nursing.
In Piaget’s stage theory, children fit into a specific developmental stage based on their age. For example, the sensorimotor stage lasts from birth to two years of age. This …show more content…
As stated the textbook, this implies that children think in a consistent way throughout the entirety of a given stage. In reality, a child’s thinking is much less concrete and prone to variability. Each child is an individual with their own way of thinking and the nurse must be mindful of that. For example, according to the textbook, children in the preoperational stage, which is aged two to seven are able to use symbolic representation. A nurse may use symbolic representation to figure out where the problem lies in the child. The nurse may have a model doll and ask the child to point on the doll where they don't feel well. However, some children who are the correct age for the preoperational stage may struggle with this, as they don't understand the concept of symbolic representation yet. The child may not be able to translate from themselves to the doll. In summary, the nurse should not expect every child of the same stage (or even same age) to think in an identical way. The nurse must anticipate this and be able to modify her plan for the assessment if the child does not seem to grasp the way the nurse is trying to draw information out of …show more content…
By this, he meant that more competent people, such as adults or older siblings, provide a temporary framework to support a child’s thinking at a higher level than they can manage on their own. This is especially important in health teaching, where the nurse teaches the patient ways to improve their health, such as eating healthy. The nurse should explain the purpose of eating a well balanced diet, show them what a healthy meal looks like and help them with the parts they may not understand, such as what is considered a healthy food and what isn't. It is also important for the nurse to pay attention to the needs of the individual, and apply the zone of proximal development frequently used in education. This is the difference between what the child can do with no help and what the child is able to so with all the proper supports. It is extremely important to base your scaffolding for teaching in this sweet spot. If the nurse’s health teaching is at a level below what the child can do with no assistance, the child will lose interest because it is too easy and they won't learn what they are supposed to. On the other hand, if the teaching is above what the child can accomplish with the proper supports, they will not understand the material and compliance will be minimal. In order for the child to follow through on the health teaching, the nurse must provide just the right amount of scaffolding. This would involve the nurse
In Piaget’s stage theory, children fit into a specific developmental stage based on their age. For example, the sensorimotor stage lasts from birth to two years of age. This …show more content…
As stated the textbook, this implies that children think in a consistent way throughout the entirety of a given stage. In reality, a child’s thinking is much less concrete and prone to variability. Each child is an individual with their own way of thinking and the nurse must be mindful of that. For example, according to the textbook, children in the preoperational stage, which is aged two to seven are able to use symbolic representation. A nurse may use symbolic representation to figure out where the problem lies in the child. The nurse may have a model doll and ask the child to point on the doll where they don't feel well. However, some children who are the correct age for the preoperational stage may struggle with this, as they don't understand the concept of symbolic representation yet. The child may not be able to translate from themselves to the doll. In summary, the nurse should not expect every child of the same stage (or even same age) to think in an identical way. The nurse must anticipate this and be able to modify her plan for the assessment if the child does not seem to grasp the way the nurse is trying to draw information out of …show more content…
By this, he meant that more competent people, such as adults or older siblings, provide a temporary framework to support a child’s thinking at a higher level than they can manage on their own. This is especially important in health teaching, where the nurse teaches the patient ways to improve their health, such as eating healthy. The nurse should explain the purpose of eating a well balanced diet, show them what a healthy meal looks like and help them with the parts they may not understand, such as what is considered a healthy food and what isn't. It is also important for the nurse to pay attention to the needs of the individual, and apply the zone of proximal development frequently used in education. This is the difference between what the child can do with no help and what the child is able to so with all the proper supports. It is extremely important to base your scaffolding for teaching in this sweet spot. If the nurse’s health teaching is at a level below what the child can do with no assistance, the child will lose interest because it is too easy and they won't learn what they are supposed to. On the other hand, if the teaching is above what the child can accomplish with the proper supports, they will not understand the material and compliance will be minimal. In order for the child to follow through on the health teaching, the nurse must provide just the right amount of scaffolding. This would involve the nurse