Question 1

In taking a patient's history, the nurse can best obtain information about the use of complementary and alternative therapies by:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In taking a patient's history, the nurse...

Question 2

The nurse working in an obstetrical clinic has been trained in the science of Therapeutic Touch, which she uses to help patients having pain, especially in the shoulders and back. Therapeutic Touch is based on the belief that:

Accepted Answer

Therapeutic Touch is based on the belief that the practitioner can modulate his or her own energy field with that of the patient to relieve pain or anxiety. The practitioner uses their hands to detect and then modify the patient's energy field to promote a sense of balance and relaxation. It is considered an alternative therapy, but has been used in some clinical settings to help manage pain and other symptoms. Pressure is not typically used in Therapeutic Touch.

Question 3

The nurse is examining a patient in her third trimester of pregnancy. The patient's weight gain has been within normal limits, she has no swelling of her feet, and she states that she feels great. She states that she has been doing yoga 5 days a week ever since she got pregnant. The nurse understands from this that:

Accepted Answer

The patient's statement that she has been doing yoga 5 days a week indicates that she has been doing a series of gentle stretches and postures coordinated with deep breathing, which is a common form of exercise recommended for pregnant women. Walking 5 miles a day and bicycling may be too strenuous for a pregnant woman, and hydrotherapy baths or hot tubs are not recommended during pregnancy due to the risk of overheating.

Question 4

A nurse is caring for a 34-week multiparous patient. The patient asks the nurse about taking some new herb she has heard about that will make her labor easier. The correct response from the nurse would be:

Accepted Answer

The nurse should always refer the patient to the doctor for medical advice and determine whether or not the herb would be safe for her to take. The nurse should not make assumptions or give medical advice beyond her scope of practice.

Question 5

The labor and delivery unit nurse manager is incorporating complementary and alternative therapies into the unit's policies and procedures. Which statement should the nurse manager make to the nursing staff during an in-service educational presentation?

Accepted Answer

Policies for using massage and aromatherapy ensure safe and standardized practices, which is important when incorporating complementary therapies into healthcare settings.

Question 6

A patient in her second trimester of pregnancy tells the nurse she is still suffering from nausea on a daily basis. However, since she began wearing the wristband each day, the nausea is subsiding. What is the most likely reason for this relief in nausea?

Accepted Answer

The bracelet likely works by applying pressure to specific points on the wrist associated with nausea relief, a principle used in acupressure therapy. This method is commonly recommended for pregnancy-related nausea.

Question 7

The patient asks why she should not use a sauna or sweat bath in the first trimester of pregnancy. The best explanation by the nurse is that saunas and sweat baths have been associated with fetal:

Accepted Answer

Saunas and sweat baths have been associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects in the first trimester of pregnancy. The high temperatures and dehydration can potentially harm the developing fetus.

Question 8

The patient in the third trimester tells the nurse that she has designed the baby's room to take advantage of sense therapies. The nurse knows that complementary and alternative therapies affecting the senses include:

Accepted Answer

Aromatherapy, color therapy, and sound therapy all involve stimulating the senses and are considered complementary and alternative therapies. Supplements and acupressure may also be used, but they do not specifically target the senses.

Question 9

The nurse is seeing a patient for the first time who says she became pregnant using in vitro fertilization. The patient explains that she had had previous attempts were not successful, but this time she also used a Chinese therapy along with the in vitro procedure to help with the positive development of a pregnancy. The nurse knows the Chinese therapy used was:

Accepted Answer

The use of Chinese therapy along with in vitro fertilization suggests that the therapy used was likely acupuncture. Acupuncture has been studied and has shown some evidence of increasing the success of in vitro fertilization. Therapeutic touch and acupressure are other types of alternative therapies that are not typically used in conjunction with in vitro fertilization. While dietary supplements may also be used, the use of Chinese therapy suggests a form of treatment that is not solely based on nutrition.

Question 10

A woman has just been referred to a chiropractor for lower back pain by her primary physician. The physician's nurse knows that which consideration is important in choosing an appropriate chiropractor?

Accepted Answer

Choosing a chiropractor who considers spinal manipulation a cure for anything may not be taking a well-rounded approach to treatment and may not provide the best outcome for the patient.

Question 11

The nurse counseling a newly graduated nurse just starting employment on the maternity floor explains that certified nurse-midwives frequently incorporate complementary and alternative therapies into treatment for:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse counseling a newly graduated nurse...

Question 12

The patient reports relief from headaches when she rubs the temples on each side of the head. The nurse understands that this is a form of:

Accepted Answer

Rubbing the temples on each side of the head is a form of acupressure, which involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to relieve pain or discomfort.

Question 13

The pregnant patient has brought an herbal remedy to the clinic to learn about the safety of the remedy. The nurse should include which statements about herbal therapies? "Herbal remedies:

Accepted Answer

Herbal remedies are indeed different from homeopathic remedies, as they are based on the use of herbs and natural substances in their natural or processed form, while homeopathy involves highly diluted substances with the aim of triggering the body's natural system of healing. Additionally, herbal remedies are not subject to the same safety and effectiveness testing as conventional drugs, meaning they can be sold without the rigorous testing that is required for FDA approval of conventional medications. This lack of testing can lead to variability in strength and purity, and potential safety concerns are not as thoroughly vetted before these products reach the market.

Question 14

The patient reports using an alternative therapy that involves the manipulation of soft tissues. This therapy has reduced the patient's stress, diminished pain, and increased circulation. This therapy is most likely:

Accepted Answer

The therapy described involves the manipulation of soft tissues, which is a characteristic of massage therapy. Massage therapy has been found to reduce stress, alleviate pain, and improve circulation. Guided imagery involves visualization techniques, homeopathy involves the use of highly diluted substances, and reflexology involves the manipulation of specific points on the feet or hands.

Question 15

The patient in the first trimester of pregnancy tells the nurse she regularly sees a massage therapist to help with pain in her shoulders and neck. The nurse tells her that massage has the added advantage of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The patient in the first trimester of...

Quiz 3: Complementary and Alternative Therapies