Author Question: An experienced psychiatric nurse plans to begin a new job in a community-based medication clinic. ... (Read 61 times)

chads108 · **on:** Jul 19, 2018

An experienced psychiatric nurse plans to begin a new job in a community-based medication clinic. The clinic sees culturally diverse patients. Which action should the nurse take first to prepare for this position?

a. Investigate cultural differences in patients' responses to psychotropic medications.
b. Contact the clinical nurse specialist for guidelines regarding cultural competence.
c. Examine the literature on various health beliefs of members of diverse cultures.
d. Complete an online continuing education offering about psychopharmacology.

Question 2

A Chinese American patient diagnosed with an anxiety disorder says, My problems began when my energy became imbalanced. The nurse asks for the patient's ideas about how to treat the imbalance. Which comment would the nurse expect from this patient?

a. My family will bring special foods to help me get well.
b. I hope my health care provider will prescribe some medication to help me.
c. I think I would benefit from talking to other patients with a similar problem.
d. I would like to have a native healer perform a ceremony to balance my energy.

tanna.moeller · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
An experienced nurse working on a mental health inpatient unit would be familiar with the action and side effects of most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications. However, because the clinic serves a culturally diverse population, reviewing cultural differences in patients' responses to these medications is helpful and vital to patient safety. The distracters identify actions the nurse would take later.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
The concept of energy imbalance as a source of illness is an explanatory model familiar to Asian cultures. A source of healing is dietary change to include either hot or cold foods to correct the imbalance. Hot and cold in this case do not refer to thermal properties of the foods. Medication would not be a treatment suggested by a patient with an Eastern worldview. Someone from an indigenous culture may suggest rituals. Group discussion of mental illness would not be appealing to a Chinese American.