A 46-year-old woman tells the nurse that she has not had a menstrual period for 3 months and asks whether she is going into menopause. The best response by the nurse is,

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The initial response by the nurse should be to assess the patient's baseline menstrual pattern. Asking the patient about other signs of low estrogen is inappropriate because the patient may not know the symptoms associated with low estrogen levels. Although hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) may be prescribed, further assessment and teaching about the benefits and risks of HRT are needed before encouraging the patient to use this therapy. Menopause sometimes starts in the 40s.

A 46-Year-Old Woman Tells the Nurse That She Has Not