A nurse is conducting an assessment of an American Indian woman who has come to the clinic complaining of persistent headaches. The patient tells the nurse that the medicines prescribed by the tribal healer have done "some good." What is the appropriate response of the nurse at this time?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Asking the patient about the nature of these medicines and how often the patient uses them allows the nurse to collect data about the medicines and their uses, to learn more about the practices used by this patient to improve her health, and to check for potential drug interaction before prescribing other medications or treatment. Advising the patient to stop taking any nonprescription medicines is inappropriate until the nurse knows the details about all medicines used by the patient. Telling the patient to increase the frequency of the healer's medicines is inappropriate until the nurse knows details about the medicines. Suggesting the patient's headaches are caused by the healer's medicines is inappropriate until the nurse knows details about the medicines.

A Nurse Is Conducting an Assessment of an American Indian