Deck 5: Complementary and Alternative Modalities

Question 1

The nurse is caring for a patient experiencing poor appetite,nausea,and vomiting from chemotherapy.Which herbs should the nurse suggest the patient use to help with these symptoms? (Select all that apply.)

A) Kava
B) Ginger
C) Ginkgo
D) Feverfew
E) Echinacea

Answer 1

Ginger
Feverfew

Question 2

During an assessment,the nurse learns that a patient sees a practitioner who is balancing the patient's qi and vital energy.Which type of medicine should the nurse document that the patient is using?

A) Ayurvedic medicine
B) Naturopathic medicine
C) American Indian medicine
D) Traditional Chinese medicine

Answer 2

Traditional Chinese medicine

Question 3

A patient is receiving acupuncture therapy in addition to analgesics for chronic pain.How should the nurse document the use of acupuncture for pain control?

A) Alternative therapy
B) Mainstream therapy
C) Complementary therapy
D) Unconventional therapy

Answer 3

Complementary therapy

Question 4

A patient wants to try acupressure techniques in addition to conventional treatment for headaches and asks,"What is so good about Western medicine anyway?" Which response by the nurse is best?

A) "Western medicine uses natural remedies that are less likely to cause long-term side effects."
B) "Western medicine is based on research, which means treatments are more likely to have consistent results."
C) "Western medicine has fewer regulations and restrictions, so practitioners are able to choose the best treatments for you."
D) "Western medicine is based primarily on nutrition and exercise therapies that are safer than potentially toxic medications."

Question 5

The nurse is assisting a patient to use guided imagery.Which health problem is the patient most likely experiencing?

A) Gallstones
B) Hypertension
C) Hyperthyroidism
D) Diabetes mellitus

Question 6

A patient is prescribed antiplatelet therapy to treat a health problem.Which herbal preparation should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid while taking the prescribed antiplatelet medication?

A) Garlic
B) Gingko
C) Ginseng
D) Vitamin C

Question 7

A patient with arthritis asks the nurse what can be used to reduce pain and inflammation without having to take prescribed medication.What should the nurse recommend to the patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Aloe vera
B) Capsaicin
C) Chamomile
D) Aquatherapy
E) Biofeedback

Question 8

The health care provider suggests a patient with fibromyalgia engage in mind-body therapy.Which therapies should the nurse review with the patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Reiki
B) Art therapy
C) Music therapy
D) Guided imagery
E) Meditation and relaxation

Question 9

During an assessment,the nurse learns that a patient only uses traditional medicine approaches to treat illnesses or diseases.How should the nurse document the health care approach that the patient uses?

A) Ayurveda
B) Allopathy
C) Osteopathy
D) Chiropractic

Question 10

The nurse is identifying research-based interventions when planning a patient's care.Which type of health care is the nurse planning to provide to the patient?

A) Allopathy
B) Osteopathy
C) Naturopathy
D) Homeopathy

Question 11

The nurse learns that a patient plans to try St.John's wort for depression.How should the nurse respond to the patient about this herbal remedy?

A) "Some people believe it can be helpful for depression. Because it is an herb, it would be safe to try it."
B) "Herbs are medicines. You should not try anything without first consulting your primary care provider."
C) "Herbs can be dangerous. You should avoid taking them while you are on other medications, because interactions could occur."
D) "St. John's wort has been shown in research to be safe and effective for treating depression. Be sure to follow the package instructions."

Question 12

A patient scheduled for spinal surgery the following day lists ginkgo and ginger on a home medication assessment.How should the nurse respond to this information?

A) "What dose of each herb do you take?"
B) "For what effects do you take the herbs?"
C) "How many times per day do you take each herb?"
D) "Have you told your surgeon that you take these herbs?"

Question 13

The nurse educator is preparing a seminar on alternative and complementary therapies for the nursing staff.Which therapy should the nurse explain as having principles that support wellness and health promotion applicable to all patients?

A) Chinese
B) Osteopathic
C) Chiropractic
D) American Indian

Question 14

The nurse is using a mind-body approach to help a patient reduce the pain during labor and delivery.Which type of therapy is the nurse using?

A) Massage
B) Muscle relaxant
C) Guided imagery
D) Non-narcotic pain reliever

Question 15

During a health history,the nurse learns that a patient follows a specific diet,detoxification program,exercise,and breathing patterns recommended by a natural health practitioner.In which type of medical therapy should the nurse realize the patient is participating?

A) Chinese
B) Ayurveda
C) Chiropractic
D) Homeopathy

Question 16

The nurse is caring for a patient who is of American Indian descent.Which rituals and practices should the nurse assess as being used by this patient? (Select all that apply.)

A) Acupuncture
B) The sweat lodge
C) Herbal remedies
D) Spinal manipulation
E) The medicine wheel

Question 17

The nurse is reviewing a patient's medication history and becomes concerned about the use of an herbal preparation.Which medication-herb interaction should the nurse discuss with the primary care provider?

A) Garlic and CO Q 10
B) St. John's wort and digoxin (Lanoxin)
C) Vitamin C and ampicillin (Amoxicillin)
D) Chamomile and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)

Question 18

A patient with advanced cancer decides to discontinue chemotherapy treatment and try an alternative therapy that has not been proven effective.The nurse,whose mother recently died of the same type of cancer,strongly disagrees with the patient's choice.How should the nurse respond when the patient asks for an opinion about the alternative therapy?

A) "I'm sorry, but I don't feel prepared to answer your question. I would prefer you ask your physician that question."
B) "My mother died recently of the same type of cancer you have. I would be very careful before stopping the therapy."
C) "Because your disease is so advanced and traditional treatments have failed, I think trying the alternative treatment can do no harm."
D) "As a nurse, I am obligated to encourage you to seek the best treatment possible. I cannot in good conscience advise you to have the alternative treatment."

Question 19

A patient tells the nurse that a chiropractor has been used to help with chronic neck and lower back pain.Which principle of chiropractic medicine should the nurse use to supplement this patient's plan of care?

A) Maintain health by keeping the body and mind in balance with nature
B) Remove interference with nerve function, so the body can heal itself
C) Promote healing and prevent illness through the use of nutrition, botanical medicine, and hydrotherapy
D) Relieve symptoms by administering tiny doses of substances that create symptoms of disease in a healthy person

Question 20

The staff development instructor is preparing a presentation on the different types of medicine being used by the patients cared for in the organization.Which definition should the instructor use to describe the allopathic system or philosophy of health care?

A) A system that holds that disease is a result of nerve dysfunction
B) A system that maintains that illness is the result of falling out of balance with nature
C) A method of treating disease with remedies that produce effects different from those caused by the disease
D) A system that uses tiny doses of a substance that create the symptoms of disease in a healthy person to relieve those symptoms in a sick person

Question 21

A patient is considering the use of alternative therapy to treat lumbar stenosis.What should the nurse recommend that the patient complete before beginning this type of therapy? (Select all that apply.)

A) Find out the costs of the therapy.
B) Talk about the therapy with the primary care practitioner.
C) Look at the conditions of the alternative practitioner's practice setting.
D) Check the background and qualifications of the alternative practitioner.
E) Call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) for additional information.
F) None of above

Question 22

The nurse reviews a list of patients scheduled for appointments in a cancer clinic and notes the types of treatments each patient is using.Which patients are using complementary therapy? (Select all that apply.)

A) A 74-year-old with leukemia uses self-hypnosis prior to a bone marrow biopsy.
B) A 17-year-old with sarcoma practices relaxation and imagery during radiation therapy.
C) A 66-year-old with lymphoma uses headphones to listen to music during chemotherapy.
D) A 41-year-old with breast cancer chooses to have radiation therapy instead of a mastectomy.
E) A 52-year-old with colon cancer stops chemotherapy and goes to Mexico for shark cartilage therapy.

Question 23

A patient is concerned about the frequency of colds during the past winter season.What herbs should the nurse discuss as having the potential to lessen the symptoms of colds and other viral infections? (Select all that apply.)

A) Feverfew
B) Echinacea
C) Bee pollen
D) Chamomile
E) St. John's wort

Question 24

The nurse is considering instructing a patient with chronic pain on an energetic therapy approach.Which therapies should the nurse include in this teaching? (Select all that apply.)

A) Reiki
B) Biofeedback
C) Magnet therapy
D) Guided imagery
E) Therapeutic touch

Question 25

The community health nurse learns that a naturopathic doctor is opening a practice in the neighborhood strip mall.What should the nurse do to ensure the safety of the community members? (Select all that apply.)

A) Find out the state in which the doctor is licensed.
B) Make an appointment to be evaluated for health problems.
C) Petition city hall to prevent the doctor from opening the practice.
D) Ask what types of needles are being used for acupuncture treatments.
E) Find out the school of naturopathic medicine that the person attended.

Question 26

A patient is scheduled to see an acupuncturist as complementary treatment for back pain.What should the nurse instruct the patient to expect when seeing the acupuncturist for the first time? (Select all that apply.)

A) The patient's tongue will be examined.
B) The patient's pallor will be assessed.
C) The patient's voice and scent will be assessed.
D) The patient's blood pressure will be measured.
E) The patient's peripheral pulse will be checked.

Question 27

The nurse is identifying ways to help a patient with chronic pain release the natural production of endorphins.On which strategies should the nurse focus to help the patient achieve this physiological response? (Select all that apply.)

A) Use of electrical nerve stimulation devices
B) Health food stores that sell quality probiotics
C) Types of physical exercise the patient likes to perform
D) Suggestions to use when engaging in guided imagery
E) Locations of qualified acupuncturists in the patient's neighborhood