The nurse receives a phone call from a 25-year-old woman experiencing breast tenderness in the week prior to her menses, with palpable breast nodularity, without nipple discharge. What is the best response by the nurse?

Question

1. "Please make an appointment at the Breast Cancer center as soon as possible."
2. "How much salty food do you consume on a regular basis?"
3. "As long as you don't have nipple discharge, it isn't a serious condition."
4. "Eliminate caffeine and chocolate from your diet."

Answer 1

2
Rationale:
1. This is unnecessary, and might frighten the client. The client is describing fibrocystic breast changes.
2. The client is describing fibrocystic breast changes. A salt restriction with a mild diuretic taken the week before menstrual bleeding often improves the condition.
3. The client is describing fibrocystic breast changes, not a serious condition. The absence or presence of nipple discharge is not an indicator of seriousness of a breast condition.
4. The client is describing fibrocystic breast changes. Research is inconclusive as to whether eliminating methylxanthines from the diet is effective at reducing fibrocystic breast symptoms.