A woman whose sister-in-law died of cancer is herself diagnosed with breast cancer after a mammogram.Her doctor has advised a lumpectomy followed by radiation and chemotherapy.The patient is awaiting surgical,oncology,and radiation consults and is scheduled for surgery the day after tomorrow.She tearfully tells the nurse,"I keep thinking about how there is something growing inside me that could kill me.It's like living with a bomb inside you,and you don't know if or when it's going to go off." Which observation noted in the patient's chart would most suggest that nursing interventions had been helpful?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's comment about seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty suggests that she has reframed her situation and is less anxious.Being less tearful or saying she feels better are possible indicators of improvement but are less specific and more ambiguous.For example,patients may suppress tearfulness if embarrassed by crying earlier,or they may indicate they are "feeling better" even though they are still distressed.Saying she is "not going to think about it" suggests avoidance,which is generally a less effective coping approach.

A Woman Whose Sister-In-Law Died of Cancer Is Herself Diagnosed