An RN has been working with a patient on the nursing unit for a 12-hour shift. The nurse recognizes that each time the patient is turned to the left, the blood pressure drops 15 mm Hg. The same RN has seen this phenomenon in several other patients and makes the connection that patients with right-sided heart failure (the medical diagnosis) will experience a blood pressure drop if they are turned to their left side. This type of reasoning is called
A) inductive.
B) deductive.
C) reductive.
D) reflective.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse uses inductive reasoning when a patient has symptoms or problems the nurse has seen before. From the assessment data gathered, the nurse makes inferences (conclusions or assumptions), asks further questions, and makes decisions. The nurse, using inductive reasoning, goes from specifics to generalities and infers the likely outcomes based on supporting data.

An RN Has Been Working with a Patient on the Nursing