Which assessment finding will cause the nurse to begin teaching a patient because the patient is ready to learn?

Question

a. A patient has the ability to grasp and apply the elastic bandage.
b. A patient has sufficient upper body strength to move from a bed to a wheelchair.
c. A patient with a below-the-knee amputation is motivated about how to walk with assistive devices.
d. A patient has normal eyesight to identify the markings on a syringe and coordination to handle a syringe.

Answer 1

ANS: C
Motivation underlies a person's desire or willingness to learn. Motivation is a force that acts on or within a person (e.g., an idea, emotion, or a physical need) to cause the person to behave in a particular way. For example, a patient with a below-the-knee amputation is motivated to learn how to walk with assistive devices, indicating a readiness to learn. Do not confuse readiness to learn with ability to learn. All the other answers are examples of ability to learn because this often depends on the patient's level of physical development and overall physical health. To learn psychomotor skills, a patient needs to possess a certain level of strength, coordination, and sensory acuity. For example, it is useless to teach a patient to transfer from a bed to a wheelchair if he or she has insufficient upper body strength. An older patient with poor eyesight or an inability to grasp objects tightly cannot learn to apply an elastic bandage or handle a syringe.