A nurse is teaching a patient who is a recent immigrant from an Asian culture. The patient listens politely to discharge instructions and agrees to follow them

Question

Two days later, the patient is readmitted, and the nurse is surprised to find none of the discharge instructions have been followed. The nurse would most likely conclude the patient
a. did not have the resources to adhere to the directions.
b. is noncompliant or he or she would have asked questions.
c. lacked enough knowledge to follow through the instructions.
d. was too embarrassed to indicate a lack of understanding.

Answer 1

D
Although individuals within cultures vary widely and nothing should be assumed, people from traditional Asian cultures place a high value on "saving face" and not being embarrassed. With this patient's cultural background, the nurse should assess for this possibility. Before doing so, the nurse should probably consult with someone more familiar with the patient's culture. The nurse should also consider using printed material in the patient's native language.
The patient's resources should certainly be assessed, but given the patient's cultural background, this would not be the most likely cause.
Assuming that the patient is noncompliant is a very judgmental view and leaves no room for any explanation other than the patient choosing to not follow through.
Insufficient knowledge may have been the cause, despite the teaching. However, given the patient's cultural background, this is not the most likely cause.