Author Question: A nurse is teaching a diabetic education class when one of the patients asks, What can I do to ... (Read 89 times)

panfilo · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

A nurse is teaching a diabetic education class when one of the patients asks, What can I do to prevent going blind due to my diabetes? What is the best response by the nurse?

1. The risk of developing blindness is related to how long you've had diabetes, and how well your blood sugar and hypertension are controlled.
2. Blindness from diabetes is due to the small blood vessels in the eye becoming hardened and clogged and not being able to transport oxygen and nutrients to the retina.
3. This is only a problem with type 2 diabetes, so you won't have this problem.
4. Laser photocoagulation surgery will treat any problems that develop and stop the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Question 2

The nurse is talking with a member of the family of a patient who had surgery for a cochlear implant. Which statement by the family member is correct?

1. A cochlear implant won't replace normal hearing; it will improve sound perception.
2. It will be much nicer than a hearing aid, as nothing needs to be worn or will be visible.
3. The speaking voice will improve, too.
4. It will be less expensive than a hearing aid since you don't have much equipment.

moormoney · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy is related to the duration of the diabetes and the degree of glycemic control. Hypertension is also a risk factor. Option 2 is correct as the retinal capillaries become sclerotic and lose their ability to transport sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the retina, but this statement does not answer the patient's question. Diabetic retinopathy is seen in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Laser photocoagulation is used to treat both forms of diabetic retinopathy; however, it does not cure the disease.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1
A cochlear implant assists in restoring sound perception and does not replace normal hearing. It consists of a microphone, speech processor, transmitter and receiver/stimulator, and electrodes. The transmitter is placed on the scalp over the receiver/stimulator, which is connected to the microphone and speech processor worn on the body. It will not improve voice quality, but allows the patient to focus on the person speaking which improves communication. Hearing aids involve less equipment than cochlear implants.