Description
Kaycee is a 14-year-old hospitalized for a broken leg and concussion from an accident on a four-wheeled utility vehicle, or four-wheeler. Kaycees friend, Lolo (short for Lucille) was driving. Lolo ran away after she flipped the vehicle, presumably to get help because both of them had left their phones by their homework, where they told their parents they would be. Kaycee didnt want to tell Lolo No when Lolo asked if Kaycee wanted to go for a ride; Kaycee prefers to get along and not make waves, especially with friends.
When EMS arrived, Kaycee realized Lolo wasnt there and started asking about her. EMS couldnt tell her for certain who had called, so Kaycee was left wondering. After Kaycee got out of surgery to have her femur pinned, Kaycee started to piece together what had happened. Kaycees not mad a Lolo for flipping the four-wheeler, but shes worried that Lolo is mad at Kaycee for telling EMS who was driving. Nurse Justine is caring for Kaycee, and Kaycee confides in Justine that she hopes she and Lolo can still be good friends.
Justine wonders, What stage of moral development accurately describes Kaycee? and What stage of development is Kaycee per Piaget?
How does knowing Kaycees stages of development per Piaget and Kohlberg help Justine care for her?
If you were Lolos nurse, what do you think the parents would do as logical consequences for Lolos behavior?
This is the first response
Justine wonders, What stage of moral development accurately describes Kaycee? and What stage of development is Kaycee per Piaget?
Kaycee is concerned about Lolo’s reaction and thoughts and is worried whether the two can still be friends despite telling the truth about Lolo driving and what happpened. This can also be seen when she agrees to go with her friend to avoid conflict and appear agreeable. In Piaget’s stage of Formal Operations it states that children at the ages between 11-15 begin to think abstractly without requiring anything concrete. This can be seen when Kaycee is able to piece the events of what happened and what could of lead to that, wondering about how Lolo is doing, and what the consequences may be.
How does knowing Kaycees stages of development per Piaget and Kohlberg help Justine care for her?
Formal Operations in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development begins in ages 11-15 and in Level 2 in Kohlberg’s theory of Moral development. Understanding what stage a patient is in can help the nurse assess the patient’s needs, values, and level of understanding. This allows Justine to know how to approach, provide care, and how to properly educate the patient based on this.
If you were Lolos nurse, what do you think the parents would do as logical consequences for Lolos behavior?
The parents would be relieved to know that Lolo and her friend were alright. However, they would also be livid knowing that the girls were not were they said they would be and doing homework like they said, and that the two girls were in an accident. This would also stem from worry about the accident taking place as well.
This is the second response:
I would say that Kaycee is between stage 4 or stage 5 of moral development while being in the formal operational stage of cognitive development. I would say that Kaycee is between stages 4 or 5 as the actions do show that Kaycee is examining the justification for given actions in regard to norms/laws (stage 4) while also feeling a contractual commitment with people around her such as Lolo (stage 5). Kaycee is seen as in the formal operational stage of cognitive development due to not only age but her ability to think in an abstract manner. Knowing Kaycees stages in both Piaget and Kohlberg helps the nurse in understanding the thought process and conflict that Kaycee is going through given what has taken place. Knowing the stages will help with comforting the patient throughout their stay. As a logical consequence for Lolos behavior, I believe the parents should rightfully take away access to the four-wheel vehicle for some time. I also think the parents should dive deeper into whether Lolo was the one that called for EMS (checking phone records) as if she didnt maybe even more consequences should be given such as not allowing her to hang out with any friends for some time and stating you should not be hanging out with friends if you wouldnt help your friend in a dangerous situation you pushed upon them. This would be a way to teach Lolo to always do the right thing. Lolo needs learning if she was not the individual who called (abandoning her friend in an accident she caused), but if she was then I believe she should just be punished with no access to drive vehicles for some time as accidents happen and one cannot be too harsh on their child. They should also be grateful that both Lola and Kaycee are not severely harmed and are on track to fully recover from the accident.
Burkhardt, M. A., & Nathaniel, A. K. (2020). Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing: Nursing Ethics for the 21st Century. Elsevier.
