Text, illustrations, and exercises are utilized in this set of three learning modules to instruct nurses and nursing students in patient observation and assessment skills. The first module, "The ABC's of Observation" by Freda Cooper, provides psychiatric nurses and technicians with guidelines for determining the mental status of incoming patients through observation of their appearance, behavior, and communication. The second module, "Psychosocial Assessment of the School-Age Child" by Barbara H. Johnson, briefly describes the meaning of Erikson's psychosocial stage of "industry versus inferiority," the developmental tasks of school-age children (six to 12 years old), and the components of a psychosocial assessment which takes into account the child's mood, self-concept, interests, coping skills, and interpersonal competence. The third module, "Nursing Assessment of the Adolescent" by Eunice Bown, reviews the normal growth and development of adolescents and details factors to be considered in writing a nursing assessment of an adolescent patient. Each of the illustrated modules provides sequential reinforcement exercises with immediate feedback and concludes with a post-test and accompanying answer key. The modules are designed to be completed in a specified length of time ranging from 20 to 35 minutes. (JP)