Question 1

A nurse is caring for a patient hospitalized with a new diagnosis of diabetes. A year later, a nurse is caring for the same patient, who has had repeated visits to the ambulatory clinic with no apparent efforts to make the lifestyle changes needed to manage blood sugars. Which of the following is an inaccurate statement about nursing actions?

A) Contacting patients and families when they return home to provide support may reduce hospital readmissions
B) Guiding family discussions that result in making plans for lifestyle changes can support adherence and family goal setting
C) Collaborating care between hospital, home, emergency room, and clinic is the sole responsibility of the nurse in the hospital setting
D) Continually reflecting on the support needs of the family managing a chronic illness may help nurses provide quality care

Accepted Answer

Collaborating care between hospital, home, emergency room, and clinic is not the sole responsibility of the nurse in the hospital setting. It is a multidisciplinary effort that involves healthcare providers in various settings, including primary care providers, diabetes educators, nutritionists, and social workers. The nurse in the hospital setting can play a vital role in facilitating communication and coordination among these providers to ensure continuity of care for the patient.

Question 2

Family support needs during an illness experience often require a nurse to:&#10;A) Provide instructions that help the family understand the demands of an illness.&#10;B) Develop a friendship with the family to provide continuity of care.&#10;C) Resolve conflict by accentuating the individual family differences.&#10;D) Make moral judgments of the family's actions.&#10;

Accepted Answer

Providing clear and concise instructions to the family during an illness experience is vital to help them understand the demands and requirements of the illness. This can reduce stress and anxiety for both the patient and their family. Developing a friendship with the family can compromise the nurse's professional boundaries, while accentuating individual family differences may only exacerbate existing conflicts. Making moral judgments is not appropriate, and may lead to ethical and legal dilemmas.

Question 3

Which of the following statements accurately reflect understandings of evidence related to support and family nursing interventions?&#10;A) Family nursing interventions seldom address emotional support.&#10;B) Family nursing interventions fail to demonstrate positive health outcomes.&#10;C) Social support influences health through multiple pathways.&#10;D) Family nursing interventions focus support on the ill family member.&#10;

Accepted Answer

Social support has been shown to affect health through various channels, including psychological and biological pathways. Family nursing interventions can be effective in promoting social support and improving health outcomes. Options A and D are incorrect, as family nursing interventions can address emotional support and support can be directed towards other family members as well. Option B is also incorrect, as there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of family nursing interventions.

Question 4

A nurse is making a visit to the home of young female who was recently discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. She has two small children and they are all living in her parents' home for a period of time. Which of the following actions would be the most helpful for the nurse to provide intentional support for the family?

A) Explore with the family their perception of the most pressing need at this time.
B) Review all of the printed materials given to the woman while she was in the hospital.
C) Suggest that the family avoid discussing their concerns at this time until they are stronger.
D) Focus the teaching on the prescribed medications.

Accepted Answer

The most helpful action for the nurse to provide intentional support for the family would be to explore with them their perception of the most pressing need at this time. This allows the nurse to prioritize and address the family's most immediate concerns and needs, which can help them feel supported and cared for during a challenging time. Reviewing printed materials or focusing only on medications may not address the family's unique needs and concerns. Suggesting that they avoid discussing their concerns may further isolate them from the support they need.

Question 5

Which of the following can be viewed as an accurate statement regarding the nurse-family communication related to support?&#10;A) A nurse begins an assessment of needs by asking the family what types of support are needed.&#10;B) Developing a trusting relationship with the family may help the nurse and family identify the types of support needed with discharge.&#10;C) The nurse is usually the best judge of the types of support needed in the home.&#10;D) A nurse focuses support on the ill family member, since the family most often has access to support.&#10;

Accepted Answer

Developing a trusting relationship with the family is important in identifying the types of support needed with discharge. The family knows their own needs best, and a trusting relationship can facilitate open communication and collaboration between the nurse and family. Option A is not an accurate statement, as the nurse should begin by assessing the family's strengths and resources before asking about needs. Option C is not accurate, as the family is usually the best judge of their own needs. Option D is not accurate, as support should be focused on the entire family, not just the ill member.

Question 6

A nurse aims to provide social support for a family to influence which of the following family outcomes?&#10;A) Improved family health&#10;B) Increased powerlessness in family members&#10;C) Increased anxiety and depression in family member&#10;D) Decreased problem solving in family members&#10;

Accepted Answer

Providing social support for a family aims to improve their health outcomes by promoting healthy behaviors, providing resources and information, and easing stress and anxiety. It also helps to build resilience and coping skills in family members. Increasing powerlessness, anxiety and depression, and decreased problem solving are not the intended outcomes of social support.

Question 7

Supporting families as they attempt to care for their family member has potential to improve the health of families and ultimately the nation's health. Which of the following statements related to this understanding is accurate?

A) Family members managing an illness in the family have similar needs when compared to the family member with the illness.
B) Family members might require support in the form of guidance, directions, teaching, and coaching.
C) The health of the individual with the illness is a priority for support when compared to the family's health.
D) Support that is obtained from a professional service such as a health-care provider is more important than community or family.

Accepted Answer

Family members may need guidance, directions, teaching, and coaching in order to effectively care for their family member with an illness. While the health of the individual with the illness is a priority, supporting the entire family is also important in order to improve the overall health of the family and ultimately the nation's health. While professional support is important, community and family support should not be overlooked.

Question 8

Which of the following messages describe an effective individual-nurse-family communication model when a nurse aims to provide a family with social support? A family's ability to provide social support will be enhanced by:

A) Preserving the nurse's power in decision-making
B) Emphasizing the caregiving limitations of the family
C) Empowering a family
D) Insisting a family join a support group

Accepted Answer

Empowering a family is the most effective way for a nurse to provide social support. By empowering the family, the nurse helps them to feel confident in their ability to contribute to their loved one's care and encourage their independence. Preserving the nurse's power in decision-making and emphasizing the caregiving limitations of the family can be disempowering and discouraging for families. Insisting a family join a support group may be helpful, but it should not be the only way to provide social support.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is inaccurate regarding social support for a family?&#10;A) A nurse's educational support is often needed to provide a family with necessary informational support to manage the symptoms of an illness.&#10;B) A family may need instrumental support as they begin to care for a family member with a limited mobility in their home.&#10;C) A family may need assistance to provide emotional support when a family member is hospitalized with an acute illness.&#10;D) A chronically ill individual must learn to not rely on a family for social support.&#10;

Accepted Answer

This statement is inaccurate as chronically ill individuals often rely heavily on their families for social, emotional, and instrumental support. It is important for healthcare providers to recognize the role of family support in managing chronic illness.

Question 10

Nurses that think family recognize that long-term stress and burdens may emerge when a family is giving care to an ill family member. Research findings have shown:&#10;A) Nurses can provide various types of support that ease distress of caregiving.&#10;B) A positive relationship between caregiving and depression.&#10;C) A positive link between caregiving and physical health effects.&#10;D) All of the above.&#10;

Accepted Answer

Research findings have shown that nurses can provide various types of support that ease the distress of caregiving. Additionally, there is a positive relationship between caregiving and depression, as well as a positive link between caregiving and physical health effects. Therefore, all of the above choices are correct.

Question 11

A nurse is preparing discharge instructions for a patient who has been hospitalized with renal failure from diabetes. The patient's family plans to support the patient following discharge. Which of the following are likely sources of support for a family?

A) The nurse discharging the patient
B) The patient and family's work colleagues
C) Community networks
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse is preparing discharge instructions for...

Deck 15: Teaching Family Members Supportive Care