Deck 4: Patient and Caregiver Teaching

Question 1

A newly diagnosed diabetic patient tells the nurse, "I want to know how to give my own insulin." Which action will the nurse take first when implementing the standardized diabetic teaching plan?

A) Demonstrate how to draw up and administer insulin.
B) Discuss the use of exercise to decrease insulin needs.
C) Teach about differences between the various types of insulin.
D) Provide handouts about therapeutic and adverse effects of insulin.

Answer 1

Demonstrate how to draw up and administer insulin.

Question 2

To assess a patient's readiness to learn before planning teaching activities, which question should the nurse ask?

A) "What kind of work and leisure activities do you do?"
B) "What information do you think you need right now?"
C) "Do you have any religious beliefs that are inconsistent with the treatment?"
D) "Can you describe the types of activities that help you learn new information?"

Answer 2

"What information do you think you need right now?"

Question 3

The nurse develops a nursing diagnosis of ineffective health maintenance related to low motivation based on the finding that the diabetic patient

A) does not perform capillary blood glucose tests as directed.
B) occasionally forgets to take the daily prescribed medication.
C) says that dietary intake does not seem to impact fatigue level.
D) cannot identify signs or symptoms of high and low blood glucose.

Answer 3

says that dietary intake does not seem to impact fatigue level.

Question 4

When using the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change during patient teaching, the nurse identifies that the patient who states, "I told my wife that I was going to start exercising, and I think I will join a fitness club," is in the stage of

A) preparation.
B) termination.
C) maintenance.
D) contemplation.

Question 5

A 73-year-old Hispanic/Latino patient is seen at the health clinic and diagnosed with protein malnutrition. The priority action in the nurse's teaching plan will be to

A) suggest the use of liquid supplements as a way to increase protein intake.
B) encourage the patient to increase the dietary intake of meat, cheese, and milk.
C) ask the patient to record the intake of all foods and beverages for a 3-day period.
D) focus on the use of combinations of beans and rice to improve daily protein intake.

Question 6

When assessing a 22-year-old male patient, the nurse learns that he smokes a pack of cigarettes daily. The patient tells the nurse, "I enjoy smoking and have no plans to quit." Which nursing diagnosis is most appropriate?

A) Health seeking behaviors related to cigarette use
B) Ineffective health maintenance related to tobacco use
C) Readiness for enhanced self-health management related to smoking
D) Deficient knowledge related to long-term effects of cigarette smoking

Question 7

The patient's teaching plan includes this goal: "The patient will select a 2-gram sodium diet from the hospital menu for the next 3 days." Which evaluation method will be best for the nurse to use when determining whether teaching was effective?

A) Check the sodium content of the patient's menu choices over the next 3 days
B) Ask the patient to identify which foods on the hospital menus are high in sodium.
C) Have the patient list favorite foods that are high in sodium and foods that could be substituted for these favorites.
D) Compare the patient's sodium intake over the next 3 days with the sodium intake before the teaching was implemented.

Question 8

After the nurse implements diet instruction for a patient with heart disease, the patient can explain the information but fails to make the recommended dietary changes. The nurse's evaluation is that

A) learning did not occur because the patient's behavior did not change.
B) choosing not to follow the diet is the behavior that resulted from learning.
C) the nursing responsibility for helping the patient make dietary changes has been fulfilled.
D) the teaching methods were ineffective in helping the patient learn the dietary information.

Question 9

The nurse is preparing written handouts to be used as part of the standardized teaching plan for patients who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes. Which of the following statements would be appropriate to include in the handouts?

A) Polyphagia, polydipsia, and polyuria are common symptoms of diabetes mellitus.
B) The use of the right foods can help in keeping blood glucose at a near-normal level.
C) Some diabetics control blood glucose with oral medications or nutritional interventions.
D) Diabetes mellitus is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and the associated symptoms.

Question 10

A patient with poor circulation to the feet requires teaching about foot care. Which learning goal should the nurse include in the teaching plan?

A) The nurse will demonstrate the proper technique for trimming toenails.
B) The patient will list three ways to protect the feet from injury by discharge.
C) The nurse will instruct the patient on appropriate foot care before discharge.
D) The patient will understand the rationale for proper foot care after instruction.

Question 11

While admitting a patient to the medical unit, the nurse learns that the patient does not read well. This information will guide the nurse in determining

A) the degree of patient motivation and readiness to learn.
B) what information the patient will be able to understand.
C) that the family must be included in the teaching process.
D) which instructional strategies should be used in teaching.

Question 12

Which action should the nurse take first when teaching a patient's spouse how to manage the blood pressure (BP) for a patient with newly diagnosed high BP?

A) Teach the caregiver how to take the patient's BP using a manual blood pressure cuff.
B) Have the dietician meet with the patient and caregiver to discuss low sodium dietary choices.
C) Ask the patient and caregiver to select important information from a list of hypertension teaching topics.
D) Provide written information about treatment and complications of hypertension for the patient and caregiver.

Question 13

A 43-year-old is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus after being admitted to the hospital with an infected foot wound. When applying principles of adult learning, which teaching strategy by the nurse is most likely to be effective?

A) Discuss the importance of blood glucose control in maintenance of long-term health.
B) Demonstrate the correct method for cleaning and redressing the wound to the patient.
C) Assure the patient that the nurse is an expert on management of diabetes complications.
D) Wait until after discharge and have a home health nurse teach about foot care and diabetes management.

Question 14

The nurse in the hospital has implemented a teaching plan to assist a patient with rheumatoid arthritis in accomplishing daily activities independently. To evaluate the patient's long-term response to the teaching, the best action by the nurse will be to

A) make a referral to the home health nursing department for home visits.
B) check the patient's ability to bathe without any assistance the next day.
C) have the patient demonstrate the learned skills at the end of the teaching session.
D) arrange a physical therapy visit before the patient is discharged from the hospital.

Question 15

A patient with newly diagnosed breast cancer has a nursing diagnosis of deficient knowledge about breast cancer. When the nurse is planning teaching for the patient, which is the most important initial learning goal?

A) The patient will select the most appropriate breast cancer therapy.
B) The patient will state ways of preventing the recurrence of the tumor.
C) The patient will demonstrate coping skills needed to manage the disease.
D) The patient will choose methods to minimize adverse effects of treatment.

Question 16

A patient admitted to the hospital with hyperglycemia and newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus is scheduled for discharge the second day after admission. When implementing patient teaching, which is the best action for the nurse to take?

A) Instruct about the increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
B) Provide detailed information about dietary control of glucose.
C) Teach glucose self-monitoring and medication administration.
D) Give information about the effects of exercise on glucose control.

Question 17

When the nurse is planning teaching for a patient who needs to improve skills in being more assertive, the most effective teaching strategy will be

A) role playing.
B) peer teaching.
C) printed materials.
D) lecture-discussion.

Question 18

When assessing the learning needs for a patient who has coronary heart disease, the nurse finds that the patient has recently made dietary changes to decrease fat intake and has stopped smoking. The best initial statement by the nurse at this time is

A) "Although those are important, it is essential that you make other changes, too."
B) "Are you having any difficulty in maintaining the changes you have already made?"
C) "You have already accomplished some changes that are important in heart health."
D) "Which additional changes in your lifestyle would you like to implement at this time?"