A patient informs a nurse that he is sold on the idea that aromatherapy is a viable cure for his agoraphobia.He plans to order several hundred dollars' worth of oils from an Internet site that promises swift results when their products are used.The patient mentions that the Internet provides more information about agoraphobia than his doctor did,so he trusts what he reads there.Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should view alternative treatments with an open mind and try to recognize the importance of the treatment to the patient while trying to give the patient accurate,reliable information about the treatment.Although efforts to become health literate are to be supported,educating the patient about the pitfalls of relying on the Internet,which in some ways is less reliable than television infomercials,is essential but is lacking here.The opinions of others,whether they are positive or negative,lack a scientific basis and are subject to confounding variables such as the placebo effect and individual factors such as age and health history.The police investigate only matters of a criminal nature,and there is no evidence that a crime has occurred here.

A Patient Informs a Nurse That He Is Sold on the Idea