A nurse has planned a detailed and individualized teaching plan for a patient who had a double mastectomy
While working with her, the nurse notes that the patient seems distracted and unable to remember what was just taught; also, her skill at changing her dressings is poor. The nurse is frustrated and consults a colleague, who explains that the most likely reason for this behavior is a. denial of the need to learn self-care.
b. inadequate pain relief or treatment.
c. lack of emotional readiness to learn.
d. not enough time to perform the skills.
C
This patient has had emotional upheaval related to a diagnosis of cancer and the loss of both breasts. The most likely cause of her seeming inability to learn is lack of emotional readiness.
The patient may certainly be in denial. This is a very narrow interpretation of lack of emotional readiness, the correct answer. There may be other factors that contribute to lack of emotional readiness besides denial.
Pain should be assessed and treated, but this is not the most likely cause.
The nurse may be pushing the patient through the skills set too quickly, and this should be assessed, but it is not the most likely reason for the difficulty learning.
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