A 47-year-old woman asks whether she is going into menopause if she has not had a menstrual period for 3 months. The best response by the nurse is which of the following?

Question

a. "Have you thought about using hormone replacement therapy?"
b. "Most women feel a little depressed about entering menopause."
c. "What was your menstrual pattern before your periods stopped?"
d. "Since you are in your mid-40s, it is likely that you are menopausal."

Answer 1

ANS: C
The initial response by the nurse should be to assess the patient's baseline menstrual pattern. Although many women do enter menopause in the mid-40s, more information about this patient is needed before telling her that it is likely she is menopausal. Although hormone therapy (HT) may be prescribed, further assessment of the patient is needed before discussing therapies for menopause. Because the response to menopause is very individual, the nurse should not assume that the patient is experiencing any adverse emotional reactions.