A Hispanic woman comes to the mental health center at the urging ...

[mwit1967]

A Hispanic woman comes to the mental health center at the urging of her adult children.
 
  The patient has lost 5 pounds since her husband's death 6 months ago and says, My husband comes to visit me in the night but I cannot understand what he says. How should the nurse analyze this situation? The patient is: a. experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations.
  b. at high risk for imbalanced nutrition.
  c. grieving the husband's death.
  d. denying the husband's death.

Question 2

A patient with acute mania approaches the nurse, waves a newspaper, and says, I want the phone right now. I need to call this store while their sale is going on. I need ten dresses and four pairs of shoes..
 
  Select the nurse's best intervention. a. Suggest the patient ask a friend do the shopping and bring purchases to the unit.
  b. Invite the patient to sit with the nurse and look at new fashion magazines.
  c. Tell the patient phone use is not allowed until self-control is improved.
  d. Ask whether the patient has enough money to pay for the purchases.

[duy1981999]

Answer to Question 1

C
The patient is experiencing normal grief symptoms. The Hispanic culture reports hearing and seeing their deceased loved ones, especially during times of stress. This is not the same as hallucinating. Losing 5 pounds in 6 months is not a significant weight loss after such a life-changing event.

Answer to Question 2

B
Situations such as this offer an opportunity to use the patient's distractibility to staff's advantage. Patients become frustrated when staff denies requests the patient sees as entirely reasonable. Distracting the patient can avoid power struggles. It is important to satisfy the patient's need for immediacy but avoid an extravagant expenditure. Provoking the patient would likely precipitate an angry response.

[mwit1967]

Correct answers!

[duy1981999]

Great! Please up vote