Author Question: A patient needs to make several challenging life changes to cope with a serious chronic illness. ... (Read 61 times)

Haya94 · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

A patient needs to make several challenging life changes to cope with a serious chronic illness. Instead of teaching the patient, the nurse spends time visiting with the patient and inquiring about family life, work, and hobbies.

When a new nurse asks the reason for wasting so much time with the patient, the first nurse explains, a. All patients like to feel important and that you are interested in them.
b. I like to establish rapport first before just jumping in and teaching.
c. Knowing more about the patient informs me about possible motivators.
d. When patients view you as friendly, they are more likely to respond.

Question 2

A nurse has spent time teaching a patient and has provided several pamphlets along with written discharge orders in anticipation of discharge from the hospital in the morning. The patient appears bored and says, I can't find my glasses.

The best action by the nurse is to a. ask the patient why he or she is bored.
b. come back later when the patient is ready.
c. inquire gently about reading ability.
d. stop teaching and find the patient's glasses.

tjayeee · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

C
Motivation can be a very powerful tool to encourage a patient to make desired behavior changes. For instance, if a patient with a serious chronic illness wants to participate in activities with his or her children, this could serve as a motivation to stay well and out of the hospital, which uses time, money, and other resources that could be instead applied toward the desired activity. The motivation for learning can be powerful and should be harnessed to enhance learning.
It may be true that patients like nurses to be interested in them, but this it is not related to an educational purpose.
Establishing rapport is very important in all nursepatient relationships, but this is not the best answer for this question.
Although it is true that being friendly is more likely to cause patients to respond, this is not the best answer to this question.

Answer to Question 2

C
A likely explanation for the patient's behavior is illiteracy. The nurse should gently ask the patient about his or her reading level. A statement such as Many people find this information difficult to read and understand can open the door to a discussion about reading ability. As an alternative, the nurse can simply read the information out loud to the patient.
Assuming the patient is actually bored might well cause defensiveness. In addition, why questions also often put patients on the defensive.
If the patient is truly not ready to listen, coming back later might be an option after assessing that this is the case. However, this is not the best answer in this case because it does not address the reason for the lack of readiness.
Finding the patient's glasses is not the best answer; the patient may continue looking bored and find other ways to stall the learning session.