A patient with lung cancer who is scheduled to begin a course of radiation therapy asks the nurse, "How will they know if I'm cured?" The nurse's best response is based on which of the following understandings?
a. Eighty percent of lung cancers are curable with radiation therapy.
b. Radiation in lung cancer is most often used to increase comfort, not cure disease.
c. Radiation therapy reduces inflammation; chemotherapy is used to shrink the tumor.
d. Lung cancer is never a curable disease; prolonged life is the goal.
ANS: B
Radiation may be used to shrink a tumor to reduce symptoms in patients who are unable to undergo surgery. It generally is not curative, and it will not reduce inflammation. Lung cancer is curable in some cases but not usually with radiation alone.
You might also like to view...
The role of the professional registered nurse as an educator is to:
1. Provide primary care for high-risk children who are in hospital settings. 2. Provide primary care for healthy children. 3. Work toward the goal of informed choices with the family. 4. Obtain a physician consultation for any technical procedures at delivery.
The nurse has made the nursing diagnosis Ineffective Breathing Pattern related to tachypnea secondary to chest pain for a client with pneumonia. After administration of an analgesic, the nurse would
a. encourage the use of an incentive spirometer. b. monitor the client's respiratory pattern. c. reposition the client flat in bed. d. request that the client cough.
A client complaining of shortness of breath has no pallor, cyanosis, or use of accessory muscles with respirations. The client's respiratory rate is 16 breaths per minute. The nurse is concerned that the client's report and the physical findings conflict
Which standard of critical thinking is the nurse using? 1. Clarity 2. Accuracy 3. Logical reasoning 4. Significance
A patient who is 3 days postoperative after suprapubic prostatectomy asks, "When can I get rid of this other catheter?" Which data best indicates that nurse can discontinue the suprapubic ca-theter as ordered?
a. Pain is adequately controlled with aceta-minophen. b. Urine in the urethral catheter bag is clear with a pink tinge. c. The patient consumed 80% of his lunch. d. The urine residual after voiding is 50 mL.