,
,Chapter 1. Health Maintenance Guidelines M
ultiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. The nurse is preparing to teach a patient of the Asian culture to perform postoperativ
e dressing changes at home after discharge. Which statement made by the nurse indicates cult
ural competence?
a. Tell me how you feel about your surgery.
b. Asian people are smart, so this should be easy for you to understand.
c. American surgeons are highly qualified; Im sure you will heal quickly.
d. Will you tell me about any traditional healing practices that you would like to use?
2. An unconscious victim of a house fire is brought to the emergency department by t
he paramedics. Tied to the right wrist is an emblem that appears be a religious talisman. W
hich action should the nurse take?
a. Tape it in place.
b. Do nothing with it.
c. Remove it and lock it up for safekeeping.
d. Place it in a clothing bag with the rest of the patients belongings.
3. A 43-year-
old patient of Arab descent is admitted to the hospital. To comply with the state laws of the
organization, the nurse offers the patient a Papanicolaou smear, which she refuses. Which
action should the nurse take first?
a. Notify the physician.
b. Report the refusal to the supervisor.
c. Explain the rationale for and benefits of the test.
d. Tell her it is state law and that she does not have a choice.
4. A patient who is a Jehovahs Witness has severe gastrointestinal bleeding and a danger
ously low hemoglobin level. The patient is fully alert and competent and refuses to accept the
blood transfusion ordered by the physician. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. Obtain a court order to give the blood.
b. Administer the blood while the patient is sleeping.
c. Have the patients spouse sign the consent to have the blood administered.
, d. Ensure the patient understands possible consequences and then respect the patients wishes.
5. A patient of Mexican descent sees a curandero for asthma; the curandero has prescrib
ed a special tea to be taken four times a day to open the airways. How should the nurse respo
nd to this situation?
a. Encourage the patient to continue drinking the tea.
b. Encourage the patient to drink only one cup of the tea each day.
c. Ask the patient to bring in the tea package and have the pharmacist check the ingredients.
d. Advise the patient to stop drinking the tea because of potential interactions with oth
er medications.
6. The nurse is caring for a young adult male patient who refuses personal care from
a female nursing assistant. Which approach by the nurse is best?
a. Encourage the patients family to talk with him about his care.
b. Have a registered nurse (RN) help with his personal care.
c. Assign a male assistant to help with his personal care if one is available.
d. Explain to him that males and females take care of both genders in this hospital.
7. The nurse is providing medication instructions to a 45-year-
old patient who does not maintain eye contact. What should this patients behavior indicate
to the nurse?
a. The patient is not interested.
b. The nurse threatens the patients ego.
c. The nurse is in a hierarchical position.
d. The patient does not intend to follow the instructions.
8. The nurse is caring for a patient of Spanish descent who is experiencing pain, but doe
s not speak English. An interpreter is located to help with the assessment. What should the n
urse do to facilitate communication with this patient?
a. Use hand signals to determine the cause of the pain.
b. Ensure the interpreter is not left alone with the patient.
c. Maintain eye contact with the patient and the interpreter.
d. Use only physical examination data; do not rely on verbal communication.
9. A new mother of Guatemalan descent brings her 10-day-
old infant to a clinic for a well-
baby checkup. To promote healing, she has a coin taped to the infants umbilicus. What shoul
d the nurse do about this situation?
a. Teach the mother how to clean the coin daily and reapply it.
,Chapter 1. Health Maintenance Guidelines M
ultiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. The nurse is preparing to teach a patient of the Asian culture to perform postoperativ
e dressing changes at home after discharge. Which statement made by the nurse indicates cult
ural competence?
a. Tell me how you feel about your surgery.
b. Asian people are smart, so this should be easy for you to understand.
c. American surgeons are highly qualified; Im sure you will heal quickly.
d. Will you tell me about any traditional healing practices that you would like to use?
2. An unconscious victim of a house fire is brought to the emergency department by t
he paramedics. Tied to the right wrist is an emblem that appears be a religious talisman. W
hich action should the nurse take?
a. Tape it in place.
b. Do nothing with it.
c. Remove it and lock it up for safekeeping.
d. Place it in a clothing bag with the rest of the patients belongings.
3. A 43-year-
old patient of Arab descent is admitted to the hospital. To comply with the state laws of the
organization, the nurse offers the patient a Papanicolaou smear, which she refuses. Which
action should the nurse take first?
a. Notify the physician.
b. Report the refusal to the supervisor.
c. Explain the rationale for and benefits of the test.
d. Tell her it is state law and that she does not have a choice.
4. A patient who is a Jehovahs Witness has severe gastrointestinal bleeding and a danger
ously low hemoglobin level. The patient is fully alert and competent and refuses to accept the
blood transfusion ordered by the physician. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
a. Obtain a court order to give the blood.
b. Administer the blood while the patient is sleeping.
c. Have the patients spouse sign the consent to have the blood administered.
, d. Ensure the patient understands possible consequences and then respect the patients wishes.
5. A patient of Mexican descent sees a curandero for asthma; the curandero has prescrib
ed a special tea to be taken four times a day to open the airways. How should the nurse respo
nd to this situation?
a. Encourage the patient to continue drinking the tea.
b. Encourage the patient to drink only one cup of the tea each day.
c. Ask the patient to bring in the tea package and have the pharmacist check the ingredients.
d. Advise the patient to stop drinking the tea because of potential interactions with oth
er medications.
6. The nurse is caring for a young adult male patient who refuses personal care from
a female nursing assistant. Which approach by the nurse is best?
a. Encourage the patients family to talk with him about his care.
b. Have a registered nurse (RN) help with his personal care.
c. Assign a male assistant to help with his personal care if one is available.
d. Explain to him that males and females take care of both genders in this hospital.
7. The nurse is providing medication instructions to a 45-year-
old patient who does not maintain eye contact. What should this patients behavior indicate
to the nurse?
a. The patient is not interested.
b. The nurse threatens the patients ego.
c. The nurse is in a hierarchical position.
d. The patient does not intend to follow the instructions.
8. The nurse is caring for a patient of Spanish descent who is experiencing pain, but doe
s not speak English. An interpreter is located to help with the assessment. What should the n
urse do to facilitate communication with this patient?
a. Use hand signals to determine the cause of the pain.
b. Ensure the interpreter is not left alone with the patient.
c. Maintain eye contact with the patient and the interpreter.
d. Use only physical examination data; do not rely on verbal communication.
9. A new mother of Guatemalan descent brings her 10-day-
old infant to a clinic for a well-
baby checkup. To promote healing, she has a coin taped to the infants umbilicus. What shoul
d the nurse do about this situation?
a. Teach the mother how to clean the coin daily and reapply it.
