An Asian-American patient diagnosed with depression explains to ...

[sc00by25]

An Asian-American patient diagnosed with depression explains to the nurse that eating two specific foods will restore the balance of hot and cold and she will be cured. The nurse should:
 
  a. Explain that foods cannot cure mental disorders.
  b. Arrange for the patient to talk with the dietitian.
  c. Change the subject to focus on medication compliance.
  d. Accept that cultural beliefs about illness die slowly.

Question 2

A nurse is working with a group of older adults attending a seminar on the physical and emotional effects of aging. Which patient statements are good predictors of positive well being and perceived mortality? Select all that apply.
 
  a. Being satisfied with growing older
  b. Feeling younger than my birthdays say I should
  c. Retirement gives me time to do the things I've put off doing.
  d. Not having to deal with the stress of any major chronic illnesses
  e. At least I don't have to worry about having enough money to retire.

[dawsa925]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Culturally determined beliefs about health and illness should be respected. If there are no contraindications to the patient eating the foods mentioned, the nurse should facilitate ob-taining them. Attempt to explain the flaw in the patient's belief is an attempt to negate cul-turally determined beliefs. Changing the subject does not address patient concerns. Assuming that the belief is inflexible suggests the patient's beliefs have no merit.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A, B, C
A research study of more than 400 older adults between the ages of 70 and 100 examined how satisfaction with aging is an indicator of positive well-being and possible predictor of death. Researchers found that feeling older and being dissatisfied with how one is aging are related to an increased mortality risk over time. Persons who were satisfied with their aging or who felt younger than their years generally had longer survival. Self-perception of aging predicted mortality even after controlling for known mortality predictors such as illness, old age, gender, and socioeconomic status.