Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 13th Edition by Kerry Cheever, Janice Hinkle

Exercise 2

A 42-year-old African American man who has recently been diagnosed with lungcancer is anxious about his diagnosis. He tells you that he has never smoked and as aresult wants to know how he could have developed lung cancer. What components ofhis health history are important for you to ascertain to assess factors that may havecontributed to his diagnosis of lung cancer? What questions will you ask to explorethe psychosocial impact of this diagnosis on his life? As you proceed with the history,your patient becomes short of breath while answering your questions. How will youmodify your interaction with this patient and prioritize your assessment based onyour observations?