Question 1

A community/public health nurse is visiting a new teenaged mother in her home.As the teenage mother walked into the room,the baby's grandmother stated,"This whole thing is your fault.Why are you still in this house?" The teenager walked out the front door with her baby.Which of the following reasons explains why the grandmother would say such a thing to her teenage daughter?

Accepted Answer

Scapegoating,or identifying one family member as the problem,is one behavioral pattern for decreasing anxiety.Distancing,or cutting off a family member,can occur when anxiety is so high that family members can no longer tolerate contact with each other.

Question 2

Having completed an initial assessment,a nurse was overwhelmed with the current problems the family was facing.Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Accepted Answer

Although all the options provided will be helpful,the nurse must begin by recognizing sources of strength because those are the resources the nurse must use in addressing problems.Strengths must be recognized before problems can be addressed.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is a reality regarding disturbances in family dynamics and high-risk problems in families?

Accepted Answer

Although disturbances in family dynamics,as well as high-risk problems in families,may lead to many of the problems experienced by families,researchers have been unable to clarify whether disturbances in dynamics lead to more family problems or whether response to problems leads to unhealthy family dynamics.

Question 4

What typically happens to the adults who grew up in maladaptive families?

Accepted Answer

Multigenerational patterns are those that are passed down from one generation to another.The tendency to repeat these patterns is great,especially in view of the fact that the family members have known no other family experience.Doing what the individual knows how to do is easier than changing to something unfamiliar and unknown.

Question 5

When working with a multiproblem family,which of the following goals should the nurse approach first?

Accepted Answer

Although goals may be chosen for any of the reasons listed,the goal that must be approached first is the goal of most importance to the clients.Families are more likely to work toward goals they choose and support.Mutual goal setting is the most important process to bring to multiproblem families.

Question 6

A nurse is planning care for multiproblem families.Which of the following is the most important action for the nurse to take?

Accepted Answer

Although the nurse might choose any of these options,it is most important that the goals be accepted by both nurse and family and focus on the concrete and feasible.

Question 7

A nurse believed that it would be unprofessional to continue in a role that had become intolerable and left the community/public health area to work in acute care.Which of the following actions should the nurse continue to perform?

Accepted Answer

Nurses who assume the role of advocate for families within a larger social context may ultimately achieve the most effect on family health.

Question 8

A home health nurse did not know what to do when a family was home but did not invite the nurse in.Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

To build trust,the nurse should try again in a consistent manner.The best demonstration of this is leaving a note saying when the nurse will return and then returning when stated.This will help to build trust with the family.Multiproblem families often test professionals,and one responsibility of the nurse is to build trust through being reliable and consistent.

Question 9

After obtaining several resources for a family with multiple problems,a nurse was unprepared when,during the next visit,although two children peeked out the window,no one answered the door.Which of the following best explains why the family did not answer the door?

Accepted Answer

Although any of the listed reasons may apply,the most probable reason for such behavior is to test the nurse and to retain control.

Question 10

Which of the following is the most crucial factor in how a family responds to a natural disaster that almost destroyed their house?

Accepted Answer

Whether the family is in a state of crisis or can adapt depends on the stressor and the family's resources but most importantly on how the family perceives the event.

Question 11

A community/public health nurse has been having difficulty interacting with a family with multiple problems and has asked the agency supervisor for advice.Which of the following actions will most likely be suggested?

Accepted Answer

All families can be recognized as families of promise who have potential for growth.Viewing the family as a family of promise helps decrease the nurse's tendency to blame the family and helps convey an attitude of hopefulness.

Question 12

Statistically,what are poverty-stricken families more likely to have demographically?

Accepted Answer

Characteristics of the poverty life cycle are female heads of family,extended family,numerous unpredictable life events,few resources available,and less time for development.

Question 13

Which of the following internal coping strategies is often used by resilient and adaptive families?

Accepted Answer

Supporting other family members is a healthy internal coping strategy,whereas expressing hopelessness,refusing to change,or seeking others to rescue them are not adaptive or resilient behaviors.A resilient family proceeds through several stages after the presentation of a stressor: struggling to survive,adapting,accepting,growing stronger,and,sometimes,helping others.This allows the family to keep a sense of hopefulness.

Question 14

Although there were many problems,a family was struggling to survive and reached out to others with similar problems.What was this family doing that made the difference between them and families who were not able to cope?

Accepted Answer

The resilient family will proceed through several stages,including struggling to survive and sometimes even helping others.This family has an emotional atmosphere that fosters trust,cooperation,acceptance,and,of most importance,a sense of hope.

Question 15

In addition to having low income and few resources,how are poverty-stricken families often notably different from mainstream families?

Accepted Answer

Although any of the situations might occur,research has determined that low-income families typically have a truncated life cycle;that is,there is less time available to allow unfolding of developmental stages,and life transitions are not clearly delineated.

Question 16

A home health nurse felt overwhelmed and asked to be assigned to a better neighborhood.Why would the agency supervisor decline to change the nurse's assignment?

Accepted Answer

All families have potential for improvement,so the nurse should continue efforts to work with the assigned families.However,the agency supervisor should provide the nurse with support within the agency and help the nurse be more realistic in expectations and goal setting.The nurse must have the situation be reframed as visiting families of promise rather than hopeless situations.

Question 17

A community/public health nurse is caring for a family in poverty,who has stated that the nurse's visits cause them increased stress.Which of the following assumptions has the family made about health care providers?

Accepted Answer

Health care professionals base their appraisal of family behavior on their own comfort zone of normality.Professionals also assume that families will act upon professionals' expertise and accept their advice.Because multiproblem families may engage in illegal behaviors,such as abusing drugs,abusing children,or being absent from the family because of incarceration,some professionals may believe the family caused their own problems-and they let their feelings show.It must be remembered that health professionals are also people who are not perfect.

Question 18

Which of the following is the most probable reason that some families have multiple problems?

Accepted Answer

Families vulnerable to or at risk for having multiple problems include those who suffer from severe poverty and clusters of stressors,such as assault or abandonment,or those who have more stressors than resources with which to cope.

Question 19

Which of the following would make a family with a newborn who is severely handicapped be considered a vulnerable family?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes all of the available choices are negative,and any choice or its consequences will create more problems.The other potential options may also cause the family problems;however,this would not cause them to be considered a vulnerable family.

Question 20

A home health nurse was visiting an assigned multiproblem family.The grandmother welcomed her in.Two toddlers were playing on the floor,but none of the other adults was present.Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should take every opportunity to work with any part of the family,knowing that she may be unable to interact with other members.Therefore,she should interact with the grandmother while the grandmother continues her care of the two toddlers.

Quiz 14: Multiproblem Families