A female patient sobs uncontrollably when talking about the recent death of a pet. Which response should the nurse implement to best provide for her immediate needs?
a. Sit with the patient quietly and allow her to cry.
b. Provide tissues and promise to come back later.
c. Ask why the patient is upset over the pet's death.
d. Encourage her to describe the day she got her pet.
A
Sitting with the patient demonstrates acceptance, caring, and value for the patient's experience as she expresses her grief. This is more likely to promote effective communication later because the nurse establishes a foundation of trust by respecting, caring, and staying with her. Providing tis-sues is indicated; however, leaving the room indicates that the nurse does not value what the pa-tient is experiencing, the nurse does not care, or the nurse is uncomfortable with crying. Ques-tions beginning with "why" ask the patient to justify feelings or actions and thereby can inhibit effective communication as she assumes a defensive position. The patient needs to be able to experience the grief. She will talk when she is ready.
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After teaching a client about advance directives, a nurse assesses the client's understanding. Which statement indicates the client correctly understands the teaching?
a. "An advance directive will keep my children from selling my home when I'm old." b. "An advance directive will be completed as soon as I'm incapacitated and can't think for myself." c. "An advance directive will specify what I want done when I can no longer make decisions about health care." d. "An advance directive will allow me to keep my money out of the reach of my family."
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A patient is scheduled for diagnostic tests to determine the cause of a hearing and balance disorder. For which diagnostic tests should the nurse prepare this patient?
Select all that apply. 1. tonometry 2. computed tomography (CT) scan 3. electronystagmography (ENG) 4. auditory evoked potentials (AEP) 5. auditory brainstem response (ABR)
Stella, a 60-year-old woman who has trouble sleeping, is prescribed secobarbital once a day for two weeks. The medication achieves its desired effect and Stella sleeps well during the first three days of medication. On the fourth day, Stella consumes her daily dosage twice because she does not remember consuming it the first time. On the fifth day, Stella consumes more than thrice the daily recommended dosage for the same reason. This phenomenon of consuming more than the required dosage of a medication is termed ________.
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