1520 Exam 3 Study Guide
A nurse is using the RESPECT mnemonic to establish rapport, the "R" in RESPECT. Which actions should the nurse take? (Select all that apply.) a. Connect on a social level. b. Help the patient overcome barriers. c. Consciously attempt to suspend judgment. d. Stress that they will be working together to address problems. e. Know limitations in addressing medical issues across cultures.
ANS: A, C a. Connect on a social level. c. Consciously attempt to suspend judgment. The "R" in RESPECT stands for rapport and includes the following behaviors: connect on a social level; seek the patient's point of view; and consciously attempt to suspend judgment. The "S" stands for support and includes the behavior of helping the patient overcome barriers. The "P" stands for partnership and includes the following behaviors: be flexible with regard to issues of control and stress that you will be working together to address medical problems. The "C" stands for cultural competence and includes the behavior of knowing your limitations in addressing medical issues across cultures.
The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a non-English speaking patient who is from China. Which actions could the nurse take to enhance communication (select all that apply)? a. Use an electronic translation application. b. Use a telephone-based medical interpreter. c. Wait until an agency interpreter is available. d. Ask the patient's teenage daughter to interpret. e. Use exaggerated gestures to convey information.
ANS: A, B, C a. Use an electronic translation application. b. Use a telephone-based medical interpreter. c. Wait until an agency interpreter is available. Electronic translation applications, telephone-based interpreters, and agency interpreters are all appropriate to use to communicate with non-English-speaking patients. When no interpreter is available, family members may be considered, but some information that will be needed in an admission assessment may be misunderstood or not shared if a child is used as the interpreter. Gestures are appropriate to use, but exaggeration of the gestures is not needed.
A nurse is evaluating a patient's spiritual care. Which areas will the nurse include in the evaluation process? (Select all that apply.) a. Review the patient's view of the purpose in life. b. Ask whether the patient's expectations were met. c. Discuss with family and friends the patient's connectedness. d. Review the patient's self-perception regarding spiritual health. e. Impress on the patient that spiritual health is permanent once obtained.
ANS: A, B, C, D a. Review the patient's view of the purpose in life. b. Ask whether the patient's expectations were met. c. Discuss with family and friends the patient's connectedness. d. Review the patient's self-perception regarding spiritual health. In evaluating care include a review of the patient's self-perception regarding spiritual health, the patient's view of his or her purpose in life, discussion with the family and friends about connectedness, and determining whether the patient's expectations were met. Attainment of spiritual health is a lifelong goal; it is not permanent once obtained.
A nurse is using Campinha-Bacote's model of cultural competency. Which areas will the nurse focus on to become competent? (Select all that apply.) a. Cultural skills b. Cultural desire c. Cultural transition d. Cultural knowledge e. Cultural encounters
ANS: A, B, D, E a. Cultural skills b. Cultural desire d. Cultural knowledge e. Cultural encounters Campinha-Bacote's model of cultural competency has five interrelated components: cultural awareness; cultural knowledge; cultural skills; cultural encounters; and cultural desire. Cultural transition is not a component of this model.
Spiritual distress has been identified in a patient who has been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Which interventions will the nurse add to the care plan? (Select all that apply.) a. Offer to pray with the patient. b. Avoid time with the support group. c. Have the patient avoid church attendance. d. Develop activities to heal body, mind, and spirit. e. Teach relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation.
ANS: A, D, E a. Offer to pray with the patient. d. Develop activities to heal body, mind, and spirit. e. Teach relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation Interventions that are appropriate for spiritual distress include (1) helping the patient develop/identify activities to heal body, mind, and spirit; (2) offering to pray with the patient; and (3) teaching relaxation, guided imagery, and medication. Attendance at church should be encouraged as well as spending time with a support group.
A nurse is using the explanatory model to determine the etiology of an illness. Which questions should the nurse ask? (Select all that apply.) a. How should your sickness be treated? b. What do you call your problem? c. How does this illness work inside your body? d. What do you fear most about your sickness? e. What name does it have?
ANS: B, C, E b. What do you call your problem? c. How does this illness work inside your body? e. What name does it have? The questions for etiology include "What do you call your problem?" and "What name does it have?" Recommended treatment is asked by the question "How should your sickness be treated?" Pathophysiology is asked by the question "How does this illness work inside your body?" The course of illness is asked by the question "What do you fear most about your sickness?"
Sexual dysfunction is a negative consequence of human sexuality manifested by any disturbance to the psycho-physiologic changes that occur during the sexual response cycle. Which statements related to sexual dysfunction are correct? (Select all that apply.) a. Biological factors play a more significant role than psychologic factors. b. Sexual dysfunction is more prevalent among men than women. c. The best predictor of sexual health is emotional well-being. d. The patient with sexual dysfunction is at risk for anxiety and depression. e. Sexual dysfunction remains uncommon.
ANS: C, D c. The best predictor of sexual health is emotional well-being. d. The patient with sexual dysfunction is at risk for anxiety and depression. The best predictor of sexual health is emotional well-being rather than the impairment of the physical aspects of sexual arousal and function. Nurses must remain cognizant that sexual dysfunction, regardless of the cause, is likely to result in a number of negative consequences including anxiety, stress, and depression. Although sexual arousal may be diminished by biological factors such as illness and hormone levels, psychologic factors such as anxiety, mood disorders, or stress play a more significant role in sexual health. Sexual dysfunction is more common in women, with 40 to 45% of women reporting symptoms as opposed to 20 to 30% of men. It appears that sexual dysfunction is very common among the general population, with rates varying from 20 to 50%.
A nurse is completing an assessment. Which findings will the nurse report as subjective data? (Select all that apply.) a. Patient's temperature b. Patient's wound appearance c. Patient describing excitement about discharge d. Patient pacing the floor while awaiting test results e. Patient's expression of fear regarding upcoming surgery
ANS: C, E c. Patient describing excitement about discharge e. Patient's expression of fear regarding upcoming surgery Subjective data include patient's feelings, perceptions, and reported symptoms. Expressing feelings such as excitement or fear is an example of subjective data. Objective data are observations or measurements of a patient's health status. In this question, the appearance of the wound and the patient's temperature are objective data. Pacing is an observable patient behavior and is also considered objective data.
Preventing infection remains the most effective way of reducing the adverse consequences of sexually transmitted infections, in particular those that are not readily curable. Nurses are often able to reassure the patient enough to open dialog regarding possible exposure, testing, and treatment options. When assessing high-risk behaviors, which question specifically identifies a blood-related risk? a. "Have you ever received donor semen, eggs, or transplanted tissue?" b. "Have you ever exchanged sex for drugs, money, or shelter?" c. "How do you protect yourself from HIV and sexually transmitted infections?" d. "Have you ever injected drugs using shared equipment?"
a. "Have you ever received donor semen, eggs, or transplanted tissue?" Receipt of any donated organ, tissue, semen, or eggs is considered a blood-related risk. Other blood-related risks include blood transfusion, sex with a person with hemophilia, or sharing equipment for tattoos and body piercing. The exchange of sex for money, drugs, or shelter is considered a drug use-related risk. Other drug use-related risks include having sex with a person who uses or shares, and having sex while stoned, high, or drunk so that you cannot remember the details. By using male condoms, female condoms, or other barriers, patient can protect themselves against sexual risk. Other high-risk behaviors in this category include: having sex against one's will, failing to use protection, having sex with a partner who is bisexual or gay, having anal intercourse, and sexual activity with an increased number of partners. Sharing equipment to inject street drugs or steroids is a drug use-related risk.
The nurse is caring for a group of patients. Which patient will the nurse see first? a. A patient saying that God has left and there is no reason for living. b. A patient refusing treatment on the Sabbath. c. A patient having a folk healer in the room. d. A patient praying to Allah.
a. A patient saying that God has left and there is no reason for living. A patient saying that God has left and there is no reason for living must be seen first for safety reasons. It must be determined by the nurse if the patient is planning suicide or is just angry and frustrated. A patient refusing treatment on the Sabbath is within that patient's right and doesn't need to be seen first. A patient with a folk healer is within the patient's right and does not need to be seen first. A patient praying to Allah is within the patient's right and does not need to be seen first.
A nurse is assessing the health care disparities among population groups. Which area is the nurse monitoring? a. Accessibility of health care services b. Outcomes of health conditions c. Prevalence of complications d. Incidence of diseases
a. Accessibility of health care services While health disparities are the differences among populations in the incidence, prevalence, and outcomes of health conditions, diseases and related complications, health care disparities are differences among populations in the availability, accessibility, and quality of health care services (e.g. screening, diagnostic, treatment, management, and rehabilitation) aimed at prevention, treatment, and management of diseases and their complications.
A Hispanic patient complains of abdominal cramping caused by empacho. Which action should the nurse take first? a. Ask the patient what treatments are likely to help. b. Massage the patient's abdomen until the pain is gone. c. Administer prescribed medications to decrease the cramping. d. Offer to contact a curandero(a) to make a visit to the patient.
a. Ask the patient what treatments are likely to help. Further assessment of the patient's cultural beliefs is appropriate before implementing any interventions for a culture-bound syndrome such as empacho. Although medication, a visit by a curandero(a), or massage may be helpful, more information about the patient's beliefs is needed to determine which intervention(s) will be most helpful.
A nurse is beginning to use patient-centered care and cultural competence to improve nursing care. Which step should the nurse take first? a. Assessing own biases and attitude b. Learning about the world view of others c. Understanding organizational forces d. Developing cultural skills
a. Assessing own biases and attitude Becoming more aware of your biases and attitudes about human behavior is the first step in providing patient-centered care, leading to culturally competent care. It is helpful to think about cultural competence as a lifelong process of learning about others and also about yourself. Learning about the world view, developing cultural skills, and understanding organizational forces are not the first steps.
The nurse is using critical thinking skills during the first phase of the nursing process. Which action indicates the nurse is in the first phase? a. Completes a comprehensive database b. Identifies pertinent nursing diagnoses c. Intervenes based on priorities of patient care d. Determines whether outcomes have been achieved
a. Completes a comprehensive database The assessment phase of the nursing process involves data collection to complete a thorough patient database and is the first phase. Identifying nursing diagnoses occurs during the diagnosis phase or second phase. The nurse carries out interventions during the implementation phase (fourth phase), and determining whether outcomes have been achieved takes place during the evaluation phase (fifth phase) of the nursing process.
While interviewing an older female patient of Asian descent, the nurse notices that the patient looks at the ground when answering questions. What should the nurse do? a. Consider cultural differences during this assessment. b. Ask the patient to make eye contact to determine her affect. c. Continue with the interview and document that the patient is depressed. d. Notify the health care provider to recommend a psychological evaluation.
a. Consider cultural differences during this assessment. To conduct an accurate and complete assessment, consider a patient's cultural background. This nurse needs to practice culturally competent care and appreciate the cultural differences. Assuming that the patient is depressed or in need of a psychological evaluation or to force eye contact is inappropriate.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The patient states, "I just don't feel like going to work. I have no energy, and I can't eat or sleep." The patient shows no interest in taking part in the care by saying, "What's the use?" Which response by the nurse is best? a. It sounds like you have lost hope. b. It sounds like you have lost energy. c. It sounds like you have lost your appetite. d. It sounds like you have lost the ability to sleep.
a. It sounds like you have lost hope. All of the patient's description are describing a loss of hope. While losses of energy, appetite, and sleep are indicated, they only address a part of patient's problems. A loss of hope encompasses the holistic view of the patient.
A nurse is providing spiritual care to patients. Which action is essential for the nurse to take? a. Know one's own personal beliefs. b. Learn about other religions. c. Visit churches, temples, mosques, or synagogues. d. Travel to other areas that do not have the same beliefs.
a. Know one's own personal beliefs. Because each person has a unique spirituality, you need to know your own beliefs so you are able to care for each patient without bias. While learning about religions, visiting other religious areas of worship, and traveling to areas that do not have the same beliefs are beneficial, they are not essential.
A nurse is assessing the patient's meaning of illness. Which area of focus by the nurse is priority? a. On the way a patient reacts to disease b. On the malfunctioning of biological processes c. On the malfunctioning of psychological processes d. On the way a patient reacts to family/social interactions
a. On the way a patient reacts to disease To provide culturally congruent care, you need to understand the difference between disease and illness. Illness is the way that individuals and families react to disease, whereas disease is a malfunctioning of biological or psychological processes. The way a patient interacts to family/social interactions is communication processes and family dynamics.
A nurse is providing care to a culturally diverse population. Which action indicates the nurse is successful in the role of providing culturally congruent care? a. Provides care that fits the patient's valued life patterns and set of meanings b. Provides care that is based on meanings generated by predetermined criteria c. Provides care that makes the nurse the leader in determining what is needed d. Provides care that is the same as the values of the professional health care system
a. Provides care that fits the patient's valued life patterns and set of meanings The goal of transcultural nursing is to provide culturally congruent care, or care that fits the person's life patterns, values, and system of meaning. Patterns and meanings are generated from people themselves, rather than from predetermined criteria. Discovering patients' cultural values, beliefs, and practices as they relate to nursing and health care requires you to assume the role of learner (not become the leader) and to partner with your patients and their families to determine what is needed to provide meaningful and beneficial nursing care. Culturally congruent care is sometimes different from the values and meanings of the professional health care system.
Which action indicates the nurse is meeting a primary goal of cultural competent care for patients? a. Provides care to transgender patients b. Provides care to restore relationships c. Provides care to patients that is individualized d. Provides care to surgical patients
a. Provides care to transgender patients Although cultural competence and patient-centered care both aim to improve health care quality, their focus is slightly different. The primary aim of cultural competence care is to reduce health disparities and increase health equity and fairness by concentrating on people of color and other marginalized groups, like transgender patients. Patient-centered care, rather than cultural competence care, provides individualized care and restores an emphasis on personal relationships; it aims to elevate quality for all patients.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a chronic illness who is having conflicts with beliefs. Which health care team member will the nurse ask to see this patient? a. The clergy b. A psychiatrist c. A social worker d. An occupational therapist
a. The clergy Other important resources to patients are spiritual advisors and members of the clergy. Spiritual care helps people identify meaning and purpose in life, look beyond the present, and maintain personal relationships, as well as a relationship with a higher being or life force. A psychiatrist is for emotional health. A social worker focuses on social, financial, and community resources. An occupational therapist provides care with vocational issues and functioning within physical limitations.
Which scenario best illustrates the nurse using data validation when making a nursing clinical decision for a patient? a. The nurse determines to remove a wound dressing when the patient reveals the time of the last dressing change and notices old and new drainage. b. The nurse administers pain medicine due at 1700 at 1600 because the patient reports increased pain and the family wants something done. c. The nurse immediately asks the health care provider for an order of potassium when a patient reports leg cramps. d. The nurse elevates a leg cast when the patient reports decreased mobility.
a. The nurse determines to remove a wound dressing when the patient reveals the time of the last dressing change and notices old and new drainage. The only scenario that validates a patient's report with a nurse's observation is changing the wound dressing. The nurse validates what the patient says by observing the dressing. The rest of the examples have the nurse acting only from a patient and/or family reports, not the nurse's assessment.
The nurse is interviewing a patient with a hearing deficit. Which area should the nurse use to conduct this interview? a. The patient's room with the door closed b. The waiting area with the television turned off c. The patient's room before administration of pain medication d. The waiting room while the occupational therapist is working on leg exercises
a. The patient's room with the door closed Distractions should be eliminated as much as possible when interviewing a patient with a hearing deficit. The best place to conduct this interview is in the patient's room with the door closed. The waiting area does not provide privacy. Pain can sometimes inhibit someone's ability to concentrate, so before pain medication is administered is not advisable. It is best for the patient to be as comfortable as possible when conducting an interview. Assessing a patient while another member of the health care team is working would be distracting and is not the best time for an interview to take place.
In caring for the patient's spiritual needs, the nurse asks 20 questions to assess the patient's relationship with God and a sense of life purpose and satisfaction. Which method is the nurse using? a. The spiritual well-being scale b. The FICA assessment tool c. Belief tool d. Hope scale
a. The spiritual well-being scale The spiritual well-being scale (SWB) has 20 questions that assess a patient's relationship with God and his or her sense of life purpose and life satisfaction. The FICA assessment tool evaluates spirituality and is closely correlated to quality of life. This does not describe belief or hope.
A nurse is designing a form for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients. Which design should the nurse use? a. Use partnered rather than married. b. Use mother rather than father. c. Use parents rather than guardian. d. Use wife/husband rather than significant other.
a. Use partnered rather than married. Include LGBT-inclusive language on forms and assessments to facilitate disclosure, knowing that disclosure is a choice impacted by many factors. For example, provide options such as "partnered" under relationship status. For parents, use parent/guardian, instead of mother/father. Use neutral and inclusive language when talking with patients (e.g., partner or significant other), listening and reflecting patient's choice. Remember that some LGBT patients are also legally married.
A nurse is assessing population groups for the risk of suicide requiring medical attention. Which group should the nurse monitor most closely? a. Young bisexuals b. Young caucasians c. Asian Americans d. African-Americans
a. Young bisexuals Gay, lesbian, and bisexual young people have a significantly increased risk for depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, and substance use disorders, being 4 times as likely as their straight peers to make suicide attempts that require medical attention. Caucasian youth, Asian Americans, and African-Americans are not as likely to attempt suicide resulting in medical attention.
A 55-year-old male patient post-myocardial infarction (MI) queries the nurse caring for him whether he will be healthy enough for sexual activity after discharge from the hospital. The patient has been prescribed anti-hypertensives and beta-blockers. While health teaching, the nurse understands that the three phases of the four-stage model of the human sexual response cycle that are of concern for this patient include a. excitement, plateau, and orgasmic. b. plateau, orgasmic, and resolution. c. excitement, orgasmic, and resolution. d. arousal, excitement, and plateau.
a. excitement, plateau, and orgasmic. During these three phases, heart rate, blood pressure, and respirations increase steadily, increasing stress to the heart muscle. This would be the period of greatest concern for a patient who has recently experienced an MI. The plateau and orgasmic phases may be of physiologic concern to this patient, but during the resolution phase, vital signs return to normal, and muscles relax. Arousal is not a phase in the four-stage model of the human sexual response cycle, although some researchers feel this should be added.
Understanding cultural differences in health care is important because it will help the nurse to understand the manner in which people decide on obtaining treatments and medical care. In independent cultures an individual will a. put himself first. b. consult family members for advice. c. ask for a second opinion. d. travel great distances to receive the best care.
a. put himself first. In independent cultures, an individual will put himself first in the case of a life-threatening illness, whereas even in dire circumstances, members of collectivist cultures may still consult other family members for the best course of action. In independent cultures, an individual will not consult with other family members, ask for a second opinion, or travel great distances to receive the best care.
Mr. Giuseppe is a 60-year-old Italian immigrant who presents for an annual physical. He is counseled about diagnostic testing including laboratory testing, colonoscopy, influenza vaccination, and pneumococcal vaccination. His reply is "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it." Understanding that respect for traditions and fulfilling obligations is important in developing a nursing plan of care. Mr. Giuseppe's cultural orientation is towards a. short term. b. long term. c. leisurely term. d. noncommittal.
a. short term. Short-term cultural orientation is towards the present or past and emphasizes quick results. Long-term cultural orientation is towards the future and long-term rewards. Long-term-oriented cultures favor thrift, perseverance, and adopting to changing circumstances. Leisurely term and noncommittal are undefined in cultural orientation.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is a member of the local Native American community. The patient is refusing medications and treatments in spite of repeated attempts to explain the importance of these interventions. Which is an appropriate nursing action? a. Ask a family member about traditional healing practices that might be better accepted. b. Enlist the help of a family member to explain the need for the medications and treatments. c. Find a hospital staff member who is Native American to help provide teaching for this patient. d. Suggest a Social Work consult to the patient's provider.
a. Ask a family member about traditional healing practices that might be better accepted. Members of some cultures may use traditional healers, and this should be accommodated whenever possible. Showing respect for this patient's culture will help to establish trust and thus greater cooperation. It is important for the nurse not to make generalizations within and among cultural groups, so asking a family member to describe what this particular patient needs is the better choice. Finding a hospital staff member who is Native American assumes that all Native Americans have the same practices. Deferring to a Social Worker is not necessary. Enlisting a family member to explain the need for the medications is just another way of imposing treatments on this person without respecting their cultural needs.
The nurse is attempting to prompt the patient to elaborate on the reports of daytime fatigue. Which question should the nurse ask? a. "Is there anything that you are stressed about right now that I should know?" b. "What reasons do you think are contributing to your fatigue?" c. "What are your normal work hours?" d. "Are you sleeping 8 hours a night?"
b. "What reasons do you think are contributing to your fatigue?" The question asking the patient what factors might be contributing to the fatigue will elicit the best open-ended response. Asking whether the patient is stressed and asking if the patient is sleeping 8 hours a night are closed-ended questions eliciting simple yes or no responses. Asking about normal work hours will elicit a matter-of-fact response and does not prompt the patient to elaborate on the daytime fatigue or ask about the contributing reasons.
A nurse is teaching patients about health care information. Which patient will the nurse assess closely for health literacy? a. A patient 35 years old b. A patient 68 years old c. A patient with a college degree d. A patient with a high-school diploma
b. A patient 68 years old About 9 out of 10 people in the United States experience challenges in using health care information. Patients who are especially vulnerable are the elderly (age 65+), immigrants, persons with low incomes, persons who do not have a high-school diploma or GED, and persons with chronic mental and/or physical health conditions. A 35-year-old patient and patients with high-school and college education are not identified in the vulnerable populations.
A male patient in stable condition is in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is asking to see his spouse and two daughters. What should the nurse do? a. Allow only 5 to 10 minutes with the family. b. Allow the wife and daughters to visit at the patient's request. c. Allow the two daughters to visit, and let the wife visit when they leave. d. Allow the wife and one daughter to enter the ICU but not the other daughter.
b. Allow the wife and daughters to visit at the patient's request. Use of support systems is important in any health care setting. Allowing the family to visit is appropriate since the patient is in stable condition. When patients depend on family and friends for support, encourage them to visit the patient. As long as no interference with active patient care is involved, there is no reason to limit visitation. Limiting the visit is not necessary since the patient is stable. Breaking the family apart is not needed; the patient is stable and can see all three at once.
A nurse is working at a health fair screening people for liver cancer. Which population group should the nurse monitor most closely for liver cancer? a. Hispanic b. Asian Americans c. Non-Hispanic Caucasians d. Non-Hispanic African-Americans
b. Asian Americans While Asian Americans generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic Caucasian population, they also have the highest incidence rates of liver cancer for both sexes compared with Hispanic, non-Hispanic Caucasians, or non-Hispanic African-Americans.
A nurse has already set the agenda during a patient-centered interview. What will the nurse do next? a. Begin with introductions. b. Ask about the chief concerns or problems. c. Explain that the interview will be over in a few minutes. d. Tell the patient "I will be back to administer medications in 1 hour."
b. Ask about the chief concerns or problems. After setting the agenda, the nurse should conduct the actual interview and proceed with data collection, such as asking about the patient's current chief concerns or problems. Introductions occur before setting the agenda. Begin an interview by introducing yourself and your position and explaining the purpose of the interview. Your aim is to set an agenda for how you will gather information about a patient's current chief concerns or problems. The termination phase includes telling the patient when the interview is nearing an end. Telling the patient that medications will be given later when the nurse returns would typically take place during the termination phase of the interview.
While completing an admission database, the nurse is interviewing a patient who states "I am allergic to latex." Which action will the nurse take first? a. Immediately place the patient in isolation. b. Ask the patient to describe the type of reaction. c. Proceed to the termination phase of the interview. d. Document the latex allergy on the medication administration record.
b. Ask the patient to describe the type of reaction. The nurse should further assess and ask the patient to describe the type of reaction. The patient will not need to be placed in isolation; before terminating the interview or documenting the allergy, health care personnel need to be aware of what type of response the patient suffered.
The nurse is caring for a Native American patient who has traditional beliefs about health and illness. Which action by nurse is most appropriate? a. Avoid asking questions unless the patient initiates the conversation. b. Ask the patient whether it is important that cultural healers are contacted. c. Explain the usual hospital routines for meal times, care, and family visits. d. Obtain further information about the patient's cultural beliefs from a family member.
b. Ask the patient whether it is important that cultural healers are contacted. Because the patient has traditional health care beliefs, it is appropriate for the nurse to ask whether the patient would like a visit by a shaman or other cultural healer. There is no cultural reason for the nurse to avoid asking the patient questions because they are necessary to obtain health information. The patient (rather than the family) should be consulted about personal cultural beliefs. The hospital routines for meals, care, and visits should be adapted to the patient's preferences rather than expecting the patient to adapt to the hospital schedule.
The nurse plans care for a hospitalized patient who uses culturally based treatments. Which action by the nurse is best? a. Encourage the use of diagnostic procedures. b. Coordinate the use of folk treatments with ordered medical therapies. c. Ask the patient to discontinue the cultural treatments during hospitalization. d. Teach the patient that folk remedies will interfere with orders by the health care provider.
b. Coordinate the use of folk treatments with ordered medical therapies. Many culturally based therapies can be accommodated along with the use of Western treatments and medications. The nurse should attempt to use both traditional folk treatments and the ordered Western therapies as much as possible. Some culturally based treatments can be effective in treating "Western" diseases. Not all folk remedies interfere with Western therapies. It may be appropriate for the patient to continue some culturally based treatments while he or she is hospitalized.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a terminal disease. The nurse sits down and lightly touches the patient's hand. Which technique is the nurse using? a. "Doing for" b. Establishing presence c. Offering transcendence d. Providing health promotion
b. Establishing presence Establishing presence by sitting with a patient to attentively listen to his or her feelings and situation, talking with the patient, crying with the patient, and simply offering time are powerful spiritual care approaches. Benner explains that presence involves "being with" a patient versus "doing for" a patient. Transcendence is the belief that a force outside of and greater than the person exists beyond the material world. In settings where health promotion activities occur, patients often need information, counseling, and guidance to make the necessary choices to remain healthy.
A nurse is using the problem-oriented approach to data collection. Which action will the nurse take first? a. Complete the questions in chronological order. b. Focus on the patient's presenting situation. c. Make accurate interpretations of the data. d. Conduct an observational overview.
b. Focus on the patient's presenting situation. A problem-oriented approach focuses on the patient's current problem or presenting situation rather than on an observational overview. The database is not always completed using a chronological approach if focusing on the current problem. Making interpretations of the data is not data collection. Data interpretation occurs while appropriate nursing diagnoses are assigned. The question is asking about data collection.
Which strategy should be a priority when the nurse is planning care for a diabetic patient who is uninsured? a. Obtain less expensive medications. b. Follow evidence-based practice guidelines. c. Assist with dietary changes as the first action. d. Teach about the impact of exercise on diabetes.
b. Follow evidence-based practice guidelines. The use of standardized evidence-based guidelines will reduce the incidence of health care disparities among various socioeconomic groups. The other strategies may also be appropriate, but the priority concern should be that the patient receives care that meets the accepted standard.
A nurse is providing care to a patient from a different culture. Which action by the nurse indicates cultural competence? a. Communicates effectively in a multicultural context b. Functions effectively in a multicultural context c. Visits a foreign country d. Speaks a different language
b. Functions effectively in a multicultural context Cultural competence refers to a developmental process that evolves over time that impacts ability to effectively function in the multicultural context. Communicates effectively and speaking a different language indicates linguistic competence. Visiting a foreign country does not indicate cultural competence.
A nurse is assessing a patient's ethnohistory. Which question should the nurse ask? a. What language do you speak at home? b. How different is your life here from back home? c. Which caregivers do you seek when you are sick? d. How different is what we do from what your family does when you are sick?
b. How different is your life here from back home? An ethnohistory question is the following: How different is your life here from back home? Caring beliefs and practice questions include the following: Which caregivers do you seek when you are sick and How different is what we do from what your family does when you are sick? The language and communication is the following: What language do you speak at home?
A nurse hears the following comments from different patients. Which patient comment does the nurse identify as faith? a. I go to church every Sunday. b. I believe there is life after death. c. I have something to look forward to each day. d. I get a feeling of awe when looking at the sunset.
b. I believe there is life after death. Faith allows people to have firm beliefs despite lack of physical evidence (life after death). Religion refers to the system of organized beliefs and worship that a person practices to outwardly express spirituality (go to church). When a person has the attitude of something to live for and look forward to, hope is present (look forward to each day). Self-transcendence is the belief that there is a force outside of and greater than the person (awe when looking at a sunset).
A nurse makes a connection with the patient when providing spiritual care. Which type of connectedness did the nurse experience? a. Intrapersonal b. Interpersonal c. Transpersonal d. Multipersonal
b. Interpersonal Interpersonal means connected with others and the environment. Intrapersonal means connected within oneself. Transpersonal means connected with God or an unseen higher power. There is no such term as multipersonal for connectedness.
A co-worker asks the nurse to explain spirituality. What is the nurse's best response? a. It has a minor effect on health. b. It is awareness of one's inner self. c. It is not as essential as physical needs. d. It refers to fire or giving of life to a person.
b. It is awareness of one's inner self. Spirituality is often defined as an awareness of one's inner self and a sense of connection to a higher being, to nature, or to some purpose greater than oneself. Spirituality is an important factor that helps individuals achieve the balance needed to maintain health and well-being and to cope with illness. Florence Nightingale believed that spirituality was a force that provided energy needed to promote a healthy hospital environment and that caring for a person's spiritual needs was just as essential as caring for his or her physical needs. The word spirituality comes from the Latin word spiritus, which refers to breath or wind. The spirit gives life to a person.
The nurse is caring for a patient of Hispanic descent who speaks no English. The nurse is working with an interpreter. Which action should the nurse take? a. Use long sentences when talking. b. Look at the patient when talking. c. Use breaks in sentences when talking. d. Look at only nonverbal behaviors when talking.
b. Look at the patient when talking. Direct your questions to the patient. Look at the patient, instead of looking at the interpreter. Pace your speech by using short sentences, but do not break your sentences. Observe the patient's nonverbal and verbal behaviors.
The nurse is caring for an Asian patient who is being admitted to the hospital. Which action would be most appropriate for the nurse to take when interviewing this patient? a. Avoid eye contact with the patient. b. Observe the patient's use of eye contact. c. Look directly at the patient when interacting. d. Ask a family member about the patient's cultural beliefs.
b. Observe the patient's use of eye contact. Observation of the patient's use of eye contact will be most useful in determining the best way to communicate effectively with the patient. Looking directly at the patient or avoiding eye contact may be appropriate, depending on the patient's individual cultural beliefs. The nurse should assess the patient, rather than asking family members about the patient's beliefs.
The nurse is caring for an Islam patient who wants a snack. Which action by the nurse is mostappropriate? a. Offers a ham sandwich b. Offers a beef sandwich c. Offers a kosher sandwich d. Offers a bacon sandwich
b. Offers a beef sandwich Islam religion does allow beef. Islam does not allow pork or alcohol. Ham and bacon are pork. Kosher is allowed for Judaism.
A nurse is conducting a nursing health history. Which component will the nurse address? a. Nurse's concerns b. Patient expectations c. Current treatment orders d. Nurse's goals for the patient
b. Patient expectations Some components of a nursing health history include chief concern, patient expectations, spiritual health, and review of systems. Current treatment orders are located under the Orders section in the patient's chart and are not a part of the nursing health history. Patient concerns, not nurse's concerns, are included in the database. Goals that are mutually established, not nurse's goals, are part of the nursing care plan.
A nurse is using core measures to reduce health disparities. Which group should the nurse focus on to cause the most improvement in core measures? a. Caucasians b. Poor people c. Alaska Natives d. American Indians
b. Poor people To improve results, the nurse should focus on the highest disparity. Poor people received worse care than high-income people for about 60% of core measures. American Indians and Alaska Natives received worse care than Caucasians for about 30% of core measures.
A thorough assessment of sexual health includes laboratory and other diagnostic procedures. Tests are ordered at the provider's discretion based upon gender and lifestyle of the patient. A 37-year-old heterosexual African-American man has come for his annual health screening. Which test must the nurse ensure is ordered for this patient? a. Human papilloma virus (HPV) b. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) c. HIV d. Venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL)
b. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) PSA testing is recommended annually for men at increased risk for prostate cancer. This includes men with a family history or those of African-American descent. HPV testing would likely be ordered for patients with genital warts. This might not be necessary for this patient. Tests for HIV should be ordered for patients that belong to high-risk populations, including men who have sex with men, and all pregnant women. All sexually active men and women should have a VDRL and rapid plasma reagin performed.
The nurse is obtaining a health history from a new patient. Which data will be the focus of patient teaching? a. Age and gender b. Saturated fat intake c. Hispanic/Latino ethnicity d. Family history of diabetes
b. Saturated fat intake Behaviors are strongly linked to many health care problems. The patient's saturated fat intake is a behavior that the patient can change. The other information will be useful as the nurse develops an individualized plan for improving the patient's health, but will not be the focus of patient teaching.
A new nurse is completing an assessment on an 80-year-old patient who is alert and oriented. The patient's daughter is present in the room. Which action by the nurse will require follow-up by the charge nurse? a. The nurse makes eye contact with the patient. b. The nurse speaks only to the patient's daughter. c. The nurse leans forward while talking with the patient. d. The nurse nods periodically while the patient is speaking.
b. The nurse speaks only to the patient's daughter. Gathering data from family members is acceptable, but when a patient is able to interact, nurses need to include information from the older adult to complete the assessment. Therefore, the charge nurse must correct this misconception. When assessing an older adult, nurses need to listen carefully and allow the patient to speak. Positive nonverbal communication, such as making eye contact, nodding, and leaning forward, shows interest in the patient. Thus, the charge nurse does not need to intervene or follow up.
A nurse is caring for an immigrant with low income. Which information should the nurse consider when planning care for this patient? a. There is a decreased frequency of morbidity. b. There is an increased incidence of disease. c. There is an increased level of health. d. There is a decreased mortality rate.
b. There is an increased incidence of disease. Populations with health disparities (immigrant with low income) have a significantly increased incidence of disease or increased morbidity and mortality when compared with the general population. Although Americans' health overall has improved during the past few decades, the health of members of marginalized groups has actually declined.
The nurse plans health care for a community with a large number of recent immigrants from Vietnam. Which intervention is the most important for the nurse to implement? a. Hepatitis testing b. Tuberculosis screening c. Contraceptive teaching d. Colonoscopy information
b. Tuberculosis screening Tuberculosis (TB) is endemic in many parts of Asia, and the incidence of TB is much higher in immigrants from Vietnam than in the general U.S. population. Teaching about contraceptive use, colonoscopy, and testing for hepatitis may also be appropriate for some patients but is not generally indicated for all members of this community.
The patient is having a difficult time dealing with an AIDS diagnosis. The patient states, "It's not fair. I'm totally isolated from God and my family because of this. Even my father hates me for this. He won't even speak to me." What should the nurse do? a. Tell the patient to move on and focus on getting better. b. Use therapeutic communication to establish trust and caring. c. Assure the patient that the father will accept this situation soon. d. Point out that the patient has no control and that he or she must face the consequences.
b. Use therapeutic communication to establish trust and caring. Application of therapeutic communication principles and caring helps you establish therapeutic trust with patients. The nurse should not offer false hope (father will accept the situation soon). The nurse should help the patient maintain feelings of control, not no control. The nurse should encourage renewing relationships if possible and establishing connections with self, significant others, and God.
When doing an admission assessment for a patient, the nurse notices that the patient pauses before answering questions about the health history. Which action by the nurse is mostappropriate? a. Interview a family member instead. b. Wait for the patient to answer the questions. c. Remind the patient that you have other patients who need care. d. Give the patient an assessment form listing the questions and a pen.
b. Wait for the patient to answer the questions. Patients from some cultures take time to consider a question carefully before answering. The nurse will show respect for the patient and help develop a trusting relationship by allowing the patient time to give a thoughtful answer. Asking the patient why the answers are taking so much time, stopping the assessment, and handing the patient a form indicate that the nurse does not have time for the patient.
When teaching an Asian patient with newly diagnosed diabetes, the nurse notes the patient nodding yes to everything that is being said. With a better understanding of cultural interdependence in self-concept, a nurse should immediately a. write everything down for the patient to refer to later. b. prompt further to elicit additional questions or concerns. c. call the recognized elder for this patient. d. call the oldest male relative for help with decision making.
b. prompt further to elicit additional questions or concerns. When a nurse provides nutritional education to a patient who is from a culture that values greater power distance, it might appear that the patient is willing to accept all that the nurse suggests, when further prompting would elicit additional questions or concerns. The patient from a collectivist culture will usually consult family members for a best course of action. It is not acceptable for nurses to take it upon themselves to call the recognized elder or oldest male relative for help with decision making. While writing everything down may be OK for some cultures, with Asian patients it may be best to prompt further to elicit additional questions or concerns.
A nurse is performing a cultural assessment using the ETHNIC mnemonic for communication. Which area will the nurse assess for the "H"? a. Health b. Healers c. History d. Homeland
b. Healers The "H" in ETHNIC stands for healers: Has the patient sought advice from alternative health practitioners? While health, history, and homeland are important, they are not components of "H."
A Native American patient has just been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The nurse preparing a teaching plan for this patient understands that which aspect of the disease and disease management may be most difficult for this patient? a. Body image changes b. Management of meal and medication schedules c. Perception of the disease as punishment from God d. The sense of dependence on others
b. Management of meal and medication schedules Non-European cultural groups such as those of Native American descent have less dependence on time schedules. Disease management will likely focus more on present concerns about alleviating current discomfort and less on measures to promote long-term wellness or treat a chronic illness.
Which statement by a nurse indicates a good understanding about the differences between data validation and data interpretation? a. "Data interpretation occurs before data validation." b. "Validation involves looking for patterns in professional standards." c. "Validation involves comparing data with other sources for accuracy." d. "Data interpretation involves discovering patterns in professional standards."
c. "Validation involves comparing data with other sources for accuracy." Validation, by definition, involves comparing data with other sources for accuracy. Data interpretation involves identifying abnormal findings, clarifying information, and identifying patient problems. The nurse should validate data before interpreting the data and making inferences. The nurse is interpreting and validating patient data, not professional standards.
The nurse is caring for a newly admitted patient. Which intervention is the best example of a culturally appropriate nursing intervention? a. Insist family members provide most of the patient's personal care. b. Maintain a personal space of at least 2 feet when assessing the patient. c. Ask permission before touching a patient during the physical assessment. d. Consider the patient's ethnicity as the most important factor in planning care.
c. Ask permission before touching a patient during the physical assessment. Many cultures consider it disrespectful to touch a patient without asking permission, so asking a patient for permission is always culturally appropriate. The other actions may be appropriate for some patients but are not appropriate across all cultural groups or for all individual patients. Ethnicity may not be the most important factor in planning care, especially if the patient has urgent physiologic problems.
After reviewing the database, the nurse discovers that the patient's vital signs have not been recorded by the nursing assistive personnel (NAP). Which clinical decision should the nurse make? a. Administer scheduled medications assuming that the NAP would have reported abnormal vital signs. b. Have the patient transported to the radiology department for a scheduled x-ray, and review vital signs upon return. c. Ask the NAP to record the patient's vital signs before administering medications. d. Omit the vital signs because the patient is presently in no distress.
c. Ask the NAP to record the patient's vital signs before administering medications. The nurse should ask the nursing assistive personnel to record the vital signs for review before administering medicines or transporting the patient to another department. The nurse should not make assumptions when providing high-quality patient care, and omitting the vital signs is not an appropriate action.
The nurse performs a cultural assessment with a patient from a different culture. Which action by the nurse should be taken first? a. Request an interpreter before interviewing the patient. b. Wait until a family member is available to help with the assessment. c. Ask the patient about any affiliation with a particular cultural group. d. Tell the patient what the nurse already knows about the patient's culture.
c. Ask the patient about any affiliation with a particular cultural group. An early step in performing a cultural assessment is to determine whether the patient feels an affiliation with any cultural group. The other actions may be appropriate if the patient does identify with a particular culture.
An older Asian American patient tells the nurse that she has lived in the United States for 50 years. The patient speaks English and lives in a predominantly Asian neighborhood. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate? a. Include a shaman when planning the patient's care. b. Avoid direct eye contact with the patient during care. c. Ask the patient about any special cultural beliefs or practices. d. Involve the patient's oldest son to assist with health care decisions.
c. Ask the patient about any special cultural beliefs or practices. Further assessment of the patient's health care preferences is needed before making further plans for culturally appropriate care. The other responses indicate stereotyping of the patient based on ethnicity and would not be appropriate initial actions.
A patient verbalizes a low pain level of 2 out of 10 but exhibits extreme facial grimacing while moving around in bed. What is the nurse's initial action in response to these observations? a. Proceed to the next patient's room to make rounds. b. Determine the patient does not want any pain medicine. c. Ask the patient about the facial grimacing with movement. d. Administer the pain medication ordered for moderate to severe pain.
c. Ask the patient about the facial grimacing with movement. First, the nurse needs to clarify/verify what was observed with what the patient states. Proceeding to the next room is ignoring this visual cue. The nurse cannot assume the patient does not want pain medicine just because he reports a 2 out of 10 on the pain scale. The nurse should not administer medication for moderate to severe pain if it is not necessary.
The nurse is caring for a Chinese patient using the Teach-Back technique. Which action by the nurse indicates successful implementation of this technique? a. Asks, "Does this make sense?" b. Asks, "Do you think you can do this at home?" c. Asks, "What will you tell your spouse about changing the dressing?" d. Asks, "Would you tell me if you don't understand something so we can go over it?"
c. Asks, "What will you tell your spouse about changing the dressing?" The Teach-Back technique asks open-ended questions, like what will you tell your spouse about changing the dressing, to verify a patient's understanding. When using the Teach-Back technique do not ask a patient, "Do you understand?" or "Do you have any questions?" Does this make sense and do you think you can do this at home are closed-ended questions. Would you tell me if you don't understand something so we can go over it is not verifying a patient's understanding about the teaching.
The nurse working in a clinic in a primarily African American community notes a higher incidence of uncontrolled hypertension in the patients. To correct this health disparity, which action should the nurse take first? a. Initiate a regular home-visit program by nurses working at the clinic. b. Schedule teaching sessions about low-salt diets at community events. c. Assess the perceptions of community members about the care at the clinic. d. Obtain low-cost antihypertensive drugs using funding from government grants.
c. Assess the perceptions of community members about the care at the clinic. Before other actions are taken, additional assessment data are needed to determine the reason for the disparity. The other actions also may be appropriate, but additional assessment is needed before the next action is selected.
The nurse and the patient have the same religious affiliation. Which action will the nurse take? a. Must use a formal assessment tool to determine patient's beliefs. b. Assume that both have the same spiritual beliefs. c. Do not impose personal values on the patient. d. Skip the spiritual belief assessment.
c. Do not impose personal values on the patient. It is important not to impose personal value systems on the patient. This is particularly true when the patient's values and beliefs are similar to those of the nurse because it then becomes very easy to make false assumptions. It is not a must to use a formal assessment tool when assessing a patient's beliefs. It is important to conduct the spiritual belief assessment; conducting an assessment is therapeutic because it expresses a level of caring and support.
A nurse is teaching a patient how to meditate. Which information from the patient indicates effective learning? a. I will lie on the floor. b. I will breathe quickly. c. I will focus on an image. d. I will do this for 10 minutes every day.
c. I will focus on an image. The steps of meditation include sitting in a comfortable position with the back straight; breathe slowly; and focus on a sound, prayer, or image. Meditation should occur for 10 to 20 minutes twice a day.
The patient is admitted with chronic anxiety. Which action is most appropriate for the nurse to take? a. Focus on finding quick remedies for the anxiety. b. Realize that the patient's only goal is relief of the anxiety. c. Look at how anxiety influences the patient's ability to function. d. Help the patient realize that there is little hope of relief from anxiety.
c. Look at how anxiety influences the patient's ability to function. Do not just look at the patient's anxiety as a problem to solve with quick remedies, but rather look at how the anxiety influences the patient's ability to function and achieve goals established in life (not just anxiety relief). Mobilizing the patient's hope is central to a healing relationship.
What information should the nurse collect when assessing the health status of a community? a. Air pollution levels b. Number of health food stores c. Most common causes of death d. Education level of the individuals
c. Most common causes of death Health status measures of a community include birth and death rates, life expectancy, access to care, and morbidity and mortality rates related to disease and injury. Although air pollution, access to health food stores, and education level are factors that affect a community's health status, they are not health measures.
A nurse is gathering information about a patient's habits and lifestyle patterns. Which method of data collection will the nurse use that will best obtain this information? a. Carefully review lab results. b. Conduct the physical assessment. c. Perform a thorough nursing health history. d. Prolong the termination phase of the interview.
c. Perform a thorough nursing health history. The nursing health history also includes a description of a patient's habits and lifestyle patterns. Lab results and physical assessment will not reveal as much about the patient's habits and lifestyle patterns as the nursing health history. Collecting data is part of the working phase of the interview.
Which method of data collection will the nurse use to establish a patient's database? a. Reviewing the current literature to determine evidence-based nursing actions b. Checking orders for diagnostic and laboratory tests c. Performing a physical examination d. Ordering medications
c. Performing a physical examination You will learn to conduct different types of assessments: the patient-centered interview during a nursing health history, a physical examination, and the periodic assessments you make during rounding or administering care. A nursing database includes a physical examination. The nurse reviews the current literature in the implementation phase of the nursing process to determine evidence-based actions, and the health care provider is responsible for ordering medications. The nurse uses results from the diagnostic and laboratory tests to establish a patient database, not checking orders for tests.
The nurse is gathering data on a patient. Which data will the nurse report as objective data? a. States "doesn't feel good" b. Reports a headache c. Respirations 16 d. Nauseated
c. Respirations 16 Objective data are observations or measurements of a patient's health status, like respirations. Inspecting the condition of a surgical incision or wound, describing an observed behavior, and measuring blood pressure are examples of objective data. States "doesn't feel good," reports a headache, and nausea are all subjective data. Subjective data include the patient's feelings, perceptions, and reported symptoms. Only patients provide subjective data relevant to their health condition.
Symptoms of sexual dysfunction and altered body image often coexist with prolapse of the female reproductive organs. Nursing care requires a great deal of sensitivity, because many women are embarrassed by their condition. Your patient is a 44-year-old married woman who is complaining of painful intercourse and incontinence. Clinical evaluation reveals that the patient has a cystocele. Which treatment option is most appropriate for this patient? a. Pelvic floor training b. Vaginal pessaries c. Surgical correction d. Lifestyle changes
c. Surgical correction Depending on the cause, a cystocele can be readily corrected by surgery. Pelvic muscle floor training (Kegel exercises) will most definitely help with symptoms of urinary incontinence. This alone is not adequate treatment for this patient. Vaginal pessaries are an excellent treatment modality for uterine prolapse. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, avoiding constipation, and reducing high-impact exercise, such as running, will all help the patient with pelvic organ prolapse. Although these modalities will provide relief, they will not correct the cystocele without surgical intervention.
A female staff nurse is assessing a male patient of Arab descent who is admitted with complaints of severe headaches. It is most important for the charge nurse to intervene if the nurse takes which action? a. The nurse explains the 0 to 10 intensity pain scale. b. The nurse asks the patient when the headaches started. c. The nurse sits down at the bedside and closes the privacy curtain. d. The nurse calls for a male nurse to bring a hospital gown to the room.
c. The nurse sits down at the bedside and closes the privacy curtain. Many males of Arab ethnicity do not believe it is appropriate to be alone with any female except for their spouse. The other actions are appropriate.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is an agnostic. Which information should the nurse consider when planning care for this patient? a. The patient is devoid of spirituality. b. The patient does not believe in God. c. The patient believes there is no known ultimate reality. d. The patient finds no meaning through relationship with others.
c. The patient believes there is no known ultimate reality. Some people do not believe in the existence of God (atheist), or they believe that there is no known ultimate reality (agnostic). Nonetheless, spirituality is important regardless of a person's religious beliefs. Agnostics discover meaning in what they do or how they live because they find no ultimate meaning for the way things are. They believe that people bring meaning to what they do.
A patient expresses fear of going home and being alone. Vital signs are stable and the incision is nearly completely healed. What can the nurse infer from the subjective data? a. The patient can now perform the dressing changes without help. b. The patient can begin retaking all of the previous medications. c. The patient is apprehensive about discharge. d. The patient's surgery was not successful.
c. The patient is apprehensive about discharge. Subjective data include expressions of fear of going home and being alone. These data indicate (use inference) that the patient is apprehensive about discharge. Expressing fear is not an appropriate sign that a patient is able to perform dressing changes independently. An order from a health care provider is required before a patient is taught to resume previous medications. The nurse cannot infer that surgery was not successful if the incision is nearly completely healed.
The nurse is admitting a patient to the hospital. The patient is a very spiritual person but does not practice any specific religion. How will the nurse interpret this finding? a. This indicates a strong religious affiliation. b. This statement is contradictory. c. This statement is reasonable. d. This indicates a lack of hope.
c. This statement is reasonable. The patient's statement is reasonable and is not contradictory. Many people tend to use the terms spirituality and religion interchangeably. Although closely associated, these terms are not synonymous. Religious practices encompass spirituality, but spirituality does not need to include religious practice. When a person has the attitude of something to live for and look forward to, hope is present.
The nurse is triaging a hysterical patient in the ER. The patient is crying, with uncontrollable spasms, trembling, and shouting. It is important to identify manifestation of illness in order to effectively treat a patient. The nurse identifies this as a culture-bound syndrome called a. shenjing sharo. b. loco de la cabeza. c. ataque de nervios. d. neuroasthenia.
c. ataque de nervios. Ataque de nervios is a Latin-Caribbean culture-bound syndrome that usually occurs in response to a specific stressor and is characterized by dissociation or trance-like states, crying, uncontrollable spasms, trembling, or shouting. Shenjeng sharo refers to "weakness of nerves" in Chinese culture; it is caused by a decrease in vital energy that reduces the function of the internal organ systems and lowers resistance to disease. Loco de la cabeza is a Spanish phrase meaning crazy in the mind and not necessarily manifested by physical symptoms. Neuroasthenia is an Asian term characterized by extreme fatigue after mental effort and bodily weakness of persistent duration.
Women who are given the job of caretaker for aging relatives are subject to caregiver strain due to a. feminine attributes. b. unequal gender. c. fixed gender roles. d. female inequality.
c. fixed gender roles. In cultures with more fixed gender roles, women are usually given the role of caretaker for aging relatives and may suffer the stresses of caregiver strain. Feminine attributes refers to harmonious relationships, modesty, and taking care of others. Unequal gender refers to roles of males and females being unevenly distributed. Female inequality refers to female gender and roles being less than or unequal to male roles.
The emphasis on understanding cultural influence on health care is important because of a. disability entitlements. b. HIPAA requirements. c. increasing global diversity. d. litigious society.
c. increasing global diversity. Culture is an essential aspect of health care because of increasing diversity. Disability entitlements refer to defined benefits for eligible mental or physically disabled beneficiaries in relation to housing, employment, and health care. HIPAA requirements refers to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information; the HIPAA Security Rule, which sets national standards for the security of electronic protected health information; and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Rule, which protect identifiable information being used to analyze patient safety events and improve patient safety. Litigious society refers to excessively ready to go to law or initiate a lawsuit.
The nurse is performing a pain assessment on a patient of Asian descent. The patient does not describe the pain when asked to do so and looks away from the nurse. What will the nurse do next? a. Ask the patient's family member to evaluate the patient's pain. b. Conclude that the patient's pain is minimal. c. Evaluate the patient's non-verbal pain cues. d. Suspect that the patient is experiencing severe pain.
c. Evaluate the patient's non-verbal pain cues. Patients of Asian descent might speak in soft tones and avoid direct eye contact while being comfortable with long silences. It is not correct to ask family members to evaluate pain. Without assessment of non-verbal cues, the nurse cannot determine whether the pain is minimal or severe.
A patient who is of Filipino descent is admitted to the hospital. The nurse goes to the room to start intravenous fluids and to perform an admission assessment and finds several family members in the room. Which action by the nurse is appropriate? a. Ask the family to wait in the hallway until the admission tasks are completed. b. Determine which family member is the family patriarch and address questions to him. c. Invite family members to assist with appropriate tasks during the admission process. d. Provide chairs for family members and ask them to stay seated during the admission.
c. Invite family members to assist with appropriate tasks during the admission process. In general, the Filipino culture expects that family members will stay at a patient's bedside and participate in his or her care. The nurse should include the family in appropriate tasks. It is not correct to ask the family to wait in the hall or to sit in chairs and not participate. Filipino families do not necessarily depend on family patriarchs.
The nurse is preparing to discuss long-term care needs with a patient newly diagnosed with a chronic disease. The patient is of Latin American descent. The nurse will plan to take which action when teaching this patient? a. Discussing long-term outcomes associated with compliance of the prescribed regimen b. Highlighting various traditional healing practices that will not be effective for this patient's care c. Providing factual information and answering all questions as they arise d. Providing teaching in increments, allowing periods of silence to allow assimilation of information
c. Providing factual information and answering all questions as they arise The nurse should provide factual information and answer questions. Persons of Latin American descent have less dependence on time schedules and do not tend to have a future orientation. They are not comfortable with periods of silence. Nurses should be receptive to traditional healing practices and seek ways to include those in care when they do not hinder safe and effective care; highlighting practices that won't work may convey a lack of respect for these traditions.
The nurse is caring for an African-American patient who appears to understand instructions for self-care but does not carry out basic self-care tasks. The nurse understands that the patient may a. be poorly educated and lack basic comprehension skills. b. need more time and personal space to assimilate what is taught. c. require the use of culturally appropriate words and phrases when teaching. d. view illness as punishment and lack desire to change the outcome.
c. require the use of culturally appropriate words and phrases when teaching. African Americans may use a common style of speaking. This vernacular English may be quite different in some cases from standard English, so if things are misunderstood, it is possible that vernacular terminology may need to be used. This vernacular English does not mean that patients are poorly educated or uncommunicative. African Americans do not tend to need more space and do not necessarily view illness as punishment.
A nurse is caring for a Hindu patient. Which action will the nurse take? a. Allow time to practice the Five Pillars. b. Allow time to practice Blessingway. c. Allow time for Holy Communion. d. Allow time for purity rituals.
d. Allow time for purity rituals. Hindus practice prayer and purity rituals. Blessingway is a practice of the Navajos that attempts to remove ill health by means of stories, songs, rituals, prayers, symbols, and sand paintings. Islams must be able to practice the Five Pillars of Islam. Holy Communion is practiced in the Christian religion.
In order to fully assess the patient and plan appropriate care including health teaching regarding sexuality, it is important for the nurse working in either a primary care or hospital setting to be cognizant that some groups of patients will have an increased risk for problems related to the concept of sexual health. Which patient is most at risk for sexual abuse? a. A recently divorced 50-year-old woman b. A Hispanic teenage girl c. A 30-year-old African-American male d. An individual with intellectual or developmental disabilities
d. An individual with intellectual or developmental disabilities As more of these individuals move into mainstream society, it is important that sexual health is promoted, including teaching regarding sexual norms. Otherwise these individuals are likely victims of unhealthy sexual practices or sexual abuse. In today's society, the newly unpartnered are likely to begin dating and acquire one or more new sexual partners. This group is at significant risk for exposure to sexually transmitted infections and requires health teaching related to safer sexual practices. The Hispanic teenage girl is at increased risk for unintended teen pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy puts an undue burden on the young woman during a crucial period of growth and development. Hispanic teens experience double the rate of pregnancy of Caucasian adolescents. Major health disparities continue to exist between African-Americans and their Caucasian counterparts—in particular a significantly increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
A staff nurse expresses frustration that a Native American patient always has several family members at the bedside. Which action by the charge nurse is most appropriate? a. Remind the nurse that family support is important to this family and patient. b. Have the nurse explain to the family that too many visitors will tire the patient. c. Suggest that the nurse ask family members to leave the room during patient care. d. Ask about the nurse's personal beliefs about family support during hospitalization.
d. Ask about the nurse's personal beliefs about family support during hospitalization. The first step in providing culturally competent care is to understand one's own beliefs and values related to health and health care. Asking the nurse about personal beliefs will help achieve this step. Reminding the nurse that this cultural practice is important to the family and patient will not decrease the nurse's frustration. The remaining responses (suggest that the nurse ask family members to leave the room, and have the nurse explain to family that too many visitors will tire the patient) are not culturally appropriate for this patient.
While the patient's lower extremity, which is in a cast, is assessed, the patient tells the nurse about an inability to rest at night. The nurse disregards this information, thinking that no correlation has been noted between having a leg cast and developing restless sleep. Which action would have been best for the nurse to take? a. Tell the patient to just focus on the leg and cast right now. b. Document the sleep patterns and information in the patient's chart. c. Explain that a more thorough assessment will be needed next shift. d. Ask the patient about usual sleep patterns and the onset of having difficulty resting.
d. Ask the patient about usual sleep patterns and the onset of having difficulty resting. The nurse must use critical thinking skills in this situation to assess first in this situation. The best response is to gather more assessment data by asking the patient about usual sleep patterns and the onset of having difficulty resting. The nurse should assess before documenting and should not ignore the patient's report of a problem or postpone it till the next shift.
What interrelated constructs facilitate a nurse to become culturally competent? a. Cultural diversity, self-awareness, cultural skill, and cultural knowledge b. Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural identity c. Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural diversity d. Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill
d. Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill The process of cultural competence consists of four interrelated constructs: cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill. Cultural diversity in the context of health care refers to achieving the highest level of health care for all people by addressing societal inequalities and historical and contemporary injustices. Cultural identity is the norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors of a culture learned through families and group members.
The nurse learns about cultural issues involved in the patient's health care belief system and enables patients and families to achieve meaningful and supportive care. Which concept is the nurse demonstrating? a. Marginalized groups b. Health care disparity c. Transcultural nursing d. Culturally congruent care
d. Culturally congruent care The nurse is demonstrating culturally congruent care. Culturally congruent care, or care that fits a person's life patterns, values, and system of meaning, provides meaningful and beneficial nursing care. Marginalized groups are populations left out or excluded. Health care disparities are differences among populations in the availability, accessibility, and quality of health care services (e.g. screening, diagnostic, treatment, management, and rehabilitation) aimed at prevention, treatment, and management of diseases and their complications. Transcultural nursing is a comparative study of cultures in order to understand their similarities (culture that is universal) and the differences among them (culture that is specific to particular groups).
The nurse begins a shift assessment by examining a surgical dressing that is saturated with serosanguineous drainage on a patient who had open abdominal surgery yesterday (or 1 day ago). Which type of assessment approach is the nurse using? a. Gordon's Functional Health Patterns b. Activity-exercise pattern assessment c. General to specific assessment d. Problem-oriented assessment
d. Problem-oriented assessment The nurse is not doing a complete, general assessment and then focusing on specific problem areas. Instead, the nurse focuses immediately on the problem at hand (dressing and drainage from surgery) and performs a problem-oriented assessment. Utilizing Gordon's Functional Health Patterns is an example of a structured database-type assessment technique that includes 11 patterns to assess. The nurse in this question is performing a specific problem-oriented assessment approach, not a general approach. The nurse is not performing an activity-exercise pattern assessment in this question.
A nurse works at a hospital that uses equity-focused quality improvement. Which strategy is the hospital using? a. Document staff satisfaction. b. Focus on the family. c. Implement change on a grand scale. d. Reduce disparities.
d. Reduce disparities. Organizations can implement equity-focused quality improvement by recognizing disparities and committing to reducing them. Staff diversity is a priority for equity-focused quality improvement, not staff satisfaction. While the family is important, the focus is on the patients. Organizations should start by implementing a change on a small scale (pilot testing), learning from each test, and refining the intervention through performance improvement cycles (e.g., plan, do, study, and act).
The nurse works in a clinic located in a community with many Hispanics. Which strategy, if implemented by the nurse, would decrease health care disparities for the Hispanic patients? a. Improve public transportation to the clinic. b. Update equipment and supplies at the clinic. c. Obtain low-cost medications for clinic patients. d. Teach clinic staff about Hispanic health beliefs.
d. Teach clinic staff about Hispanic health beliefs. Health care disparities are due to stereotyping, biases, and prejudice of health care providers. The nurse can decrease these through staff education. The other strategies also may be addressed by the nurse but will not directly impact health disparities.
The nurse cares for a patient who speaks a different language. If an interpreter is not available, which action by the nurse is most appropriate? a. Talk slowly so that each word is clearly heard. b. Speak loudly in close proximity to the patient's ears. c. Repeat important words so that the patient recognizes their significance. d. Use simple gestures to demonstrate meaning while talking to the patient.
d. Use simple gestures to demonstrate meaning while talking to the patient. The use of gestures will enable some information to be communicated to the patient. The other actions will not improve communication with the patient.
Primary strategies are those that are implemented in order to avoid the development of disease. These strategies can be either population-based or individually-based. As a school nurse, you are developing a curriculum for a junior human sexuality class. In order to provide the most up-to-date information, you are aware that the single most effective primary prevention strategy for preventing sexually transmitted diseases is a. a vaccine to prevent HPV infection. b. HIV screening. c. education directed at high-risk behaviors. d. the male condom.
d. the male condom. When used correctly, the male condom continues to be the single most effective method for preventing sexually transmitted diseases as well as being a very highly effective contraceptive agent. A significant primary prevention strategy is the recent introduction of a vaccine used to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts caused by HPV. One of two FDA-approved vaccines should be routinely administered to 11- and 12-year-old girls and can be given up to the age of 26. HIV screening is recommended for all sexually active teens by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screening for existing disease is a secondary prevention strategy. By educating teens towards behavior change related to high-risk behaviors, nurses may be able to reduce the risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections.
The nurse notes that a patient of African American descent who is taking an oral antihypertensive medication continues to have elevated blood pressure three months after beginning the medication regimen. The nurse suspects that the patient may be a. consuming ethnic foods that interfere with absorption of the drug. b. discarding the medication. c. experiencing allergic reactions to the medication. d. metabolizing the drug differently than expected.
d. metabolizing the drug differently than expected. Certain classifications of medications have different effects in individuals whose genetic markers are predominantly characteristic of a certain biologic group. African Americans respond poorly to several classes of antihypertensive agents.