Erikson: Trust Vs. Mistrust – Infant

Erikson's Trust vs. Mistrust (birth to approximately 18 months) is the foundational psychosocial stage. The infant develops a sense that the world is safe and caregivers are reliable when needs are consistently met — or develops mistrust when care is unpredictable, painful, or absent. For the RN, this stage is clinically relevant during any infant hospitalization, well-baby visit, or community nursing encounter. The practical nurse does not diagnose developmental delay independently but does observe, report, and implement care that protects healthy development. Learning objectives: - Identify the age range and core conflict of Erikson's Trust vs. Mistrust stage - Connect infant needs to nursing interventions that support trust-building - Recognize signs that hospitalization may be disrupting healthy development - Apply family-centred care principles to minimize separation anxiety - Communicate developmental concerns to the RN or healthcare provider using SBAR On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run...