Deck 55: Caring in Nursing Practice

Question 1

With respect to the concept of caring,most nursing theories

A) Embrace the disease orientation to health care as Watson does.
B) Recognize Leininger's theory and reject culture as a caring force.
C) Identify caring as highly relational involving patient and nurse.
D) Stress the universality of the expression of caring.

Answer 1

C
Nursing caring theories have common themes.Caring is highly relational.Caregiving relationships open up possibilities or close them down.Watson's transpersonal caring theory rejects the disease orientation to health care and places care before cure.Leininger stresses the importance of nurses' understanding of cultural caring behaviors.Caring is very personal,thus expression of caring differs for each patient.

Question 2

Caring is a universal phenomenon that involves

A) Being disconnected.
B) Excluding outside phenomena in favor of family relationships.
C) Focusing only on human relationships with one another.
D) What matters to a person.

Answer 2

D
Caring determines what matters to a person.It underlies a wide range of interactions,from parental love to friendship,from caring for one's work to caring for one's pet to caring for and about one's patients.Caring means that people,events,projects,and things matter to a person.It is a word for being connected.

Question 3

Caring is central to nursing practice,but technological advances for rapid diagnosis and treatment should lead the nurse to realize that

A) Technology has replaced caring as nurses' primary focus.
B) Technology and caring cannot coexist when related to patient care.
C) Technology becomes a powerful tool when it works with caring.
D) Caring is the essence of nursing and is isolated from technology.

Answer 3

C
Technological advances become dangerous without a context of skillful and compassionate care.It is time to value and embrace caring practices and expert knowledge (technology),which are the heart of competent nursing practice.Neither technology nor caring can stand alone.They must coexist to provide ultimate patient care.

Question 4

The term "ethics" refers to the ideals of right and wrong behavior.As such,the "ethics of care" creates a professional relationship in which the nurse

A) Must make decisions for the patient solely using intellectual principles.
B) Must become the patient's advocate based on the patient's wishes.
C) Uses only analytical principles to determine what is best for the patient.
D) Must ignore unequal family relationships because they are personal.

Question 5

When dealing with the concept of "touch," the nurse realizes what with regard to contact touch?

A) Involves only skin-to-skin contact
B) Involves eye contact
C) Occurs only when tasks are being performed
D) Is used only to protect the patient

Question 6

The nurse is admitting a patient who will be having elective surgery.The nurse spends over an hour asking the patient questions as part of the admission process.What is the nurse's primary reason for doing this?

A) It is hospital protocol and part of the admission process.
B) The nurse is trying to make the patient more comfortable.
C) This will help the nurse provide better care for the patient.
D) The nurse needs the time to give a detailed description of what to expect.

Question 7

Providing "presence" involves "being there" and "being with." What does this involve?

A) Closeness and a sense of caring
B) Focusing on the task that needs to be done
C) Jumping in to provide patient comfort
D) Being there without an identified goal

Question 8

The nurse has cared for a patient for several days.The patient is terminal and is very near death.The nurse notices the heart rate on the monitor decreasing and then the absence of a pattern.The family is standing at the patient's bed,and when the nurse checks the patient and finds no pulse or blood pressure,the family begins sobbing and hugging each other.Some hold the patient's hand.The nurse is overwhelmed by the presence of grief and leaves the room to cry in the nurses' lounge.What is the nurse demonstrating?

A) Task-oriented touch
B) Caring touch
C) Protective touch
D) None of the above

Question 9

In trying to determine patients' perception of caring,several studies have suggested that

A) The nurse's effectiveness in performing tasks defines her profession.
B) The affective dimension of nursing care is of primary importance.
C) All patients have the same needs and similar personalities.
D) Patients value both task performance and the affective dimension of nursing.

Question 10

Caring is a universal phenomenon that influences the ways in which people

A) Learn.
B) Think.
C) Believe.
D) Feel.
E) Behave.

Question 11

The patient is to have thoracentesis at the bedside but tells the nurse that he is afraid and would like to cancel.The nurse sits with the patient and asks him to describe his fears.She then explains the procedure and assures the patient that she will be with him during the procedure.The patient agrees to have the procedure,and during the procedure,the nurse stays with the patient,explaining each step and providing encouragement.How has the nurse helped this patient?

A) Providing a presence
B) Listening
C) Providing touch
D) Providing family care

Question 12

The patient is about to undergo a certain procedure and has voiced concern about outcomes and prognosis.The nurse caring for the patient underwent a similar procedure a few years earlier and stops to listen to the patient's concerns.Which of the following responses by the nurse may be most beneficial?

A) "I had a similar procedure last year and I can tell you what I went through."
B) "I don't think you have anything to worry about. They do lots of these."
C) "If you're really concerned, I can call the doctor and cancel the procedure."
D) "Of course there are no guarantees, but I think you'll be all right."

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been sullen and quiet for the past three days.Suddenly,he says,"I'm really nervous about surgery tomorrow,but I'm more worried about how it will affect my family." What should the nurse do?

A) Assure the patient that everything will be all right and continue what she/he is doing.
B) Tell the patient that whatever happens is out of his control, so he shouldn't worry.
C) Stop what he/she is doing (if possible) and ask the patient to expand on his statement.
D) Contact hospital clergy to come and talk with the patient.

Question 14

The patient has had a colostomy placed but has not yet been able to look at it.The nurse is given the task of teaching the patient how to care for it.The nurse sits with the patient,and together they form a plan on how to approach dealing with colostomy care.Which caring process is the nurse performing?

A) Knowing
B) Doing for
C) Enabling
D) Maintaining belief

Question 15

The nurse is making her first set of rounds in the morning.In doing so,she meets a patient whom she has never worked with before.She introduces herself and explains the plan of the day.She also asks the patient how he normally takes his morning medications,such as before breakfast,after breakfast,or during breakfast.She does this because most of the morning medications in that institution are scheduled by pharmacy for 0900.Getting to know her patient will allow her to

A) Choose the most appropriate time to give the medication.
B) Explain to the patient that he will not get his medication at his usual time.
C) Know what information to put on the medication error report form.
D) Evaluate whether or not the patient is taking his medication correctly at home.

Question 16

The concept of "knowing" the patient comprises both the nurse's understanding of a specific patient and the nurse's subsequent selection of interventions.To know a patient means that the nurse

A) Avoids assumptions.
B) Focuses on the patient.
C) Engages in a caring relationship.
D) Forms the relationship quickly.