A patient has a serious illness but does not seem to be responding as the nurse expects. Which action by the nurse would most likely lead to a better understanding of this situation?
a. Ask the patient to describe what is wrong with him or her.
b. Determine whether any factors are interfering with learning.
c. Find out why the patient thinks the illness is not serious.
d. Inquire about cultural beliefs regarding health and illness.
D
Culture has a huge impact on our understanding of what constitutes health and illness. The nurse should inquire into the meaning these constructs have for the patient in light of cultural variation.
Asking the patient to describe what is wrong is a good place to start, but the nurse should not limit the investigation of the situation to such a narrow perspective.
There might indeed be factors that are inhibiting the patient's ability to learn information, but this approach is too narrow in focus and leaves out consideration of other influences.
The question does not state that the patient does not think the illness is serious; the question relates that the patient is responding in an unexpected way. This answer makes an assumption that has not been verified or even investigated.
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