The nurse recognizes which of the following as a barrier to ...

[geoffrey]

The nurse recognizes which of the following as a barrier to achieving goals?
 
  a. The effects of pain and/or clinical depression
  b. Patient involvement in setting patient goals
  c. Family involvement in setting patient goals
  d. Realistic expectations of the patient's capabilities.

Question 2

Which of the following is a correctly written example of a short-term goal?
 
  a. By attending the gym, the patient will lose 50 lb in 1 year.
  b. In 6 months, patient will be able to ambulate 1 mile without shortness of breath.
  c. Patient will be able to change his colostomy bag within 6 weeks of surgery.
  d. With diet and exercise, the patient will lose 1 lb this week.

[orangecrush]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Useful and effective goals have certain characteristics. They are mutually acceptable to the nurse, patient, and family. They are appropriate in terms of nursing and medical diagnoses and therapy. The goals are realistic in terms of the patient's capabilities, time, energy, and resources, and they are specific enough to be understood clearly by the patient and other nurses. They can be measured to facilitate evaluation. The nurse creates goals with the patient and possibly with the family by discussing the patient's current condition, the condition to which the patient wants to progress, and the actions the patient and nurse undertake to accomplish the goal. The nurse must consider the effects of conditions, such as severe pain related to recent surgery or clinical depression or hopelessness, on the ability of the patient to reach goals in a timely manner. Other barriers to goal attainment may be related to economic issues or available resources.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
According to Carpenito-Moyet, goals that are achievable in less than a week are short-term goals, and goals that take weeks or months to achieve are long-term goals. A short-term goal for a morbidly obese patient might be Patient will lose 1 lb during 1 week's hospitalization. A long-term goal for this patient might be Patient will lose 50 lb in 1 year.