As a public health nurse at a free clinic, you are assessing and interviewing a

Question

As a public health nurse at a free clinic, you are assessing and interviewing a 21-year-old woman who has come to the clinic because she doesn’t have any energy and hasn’t felt good in weeks. During the interview, you learn that she averages one meal per day, smokes up to two packs of cigarettes per day, and rummages through trash to find items she can sell to purchase food, snacks, and cigarettes. She admits to using street drugs every once in a while when she can find someone who will share with her. She admits her life is a mess and she doesn’t know how to make it better.

What data can you gather based on available client information?

What questions should you ask yourself while interviewing this client?

During planning, how can you, as the nurse, best assist this client?

What are the potential strategies that would assist the client to a “better” life?

Explanation / Answer

What data can you gather based on available client information?

From the available client information, the following data can be gathered:

The client does not have any energy and hasn’t felt good in weeks. The client does not have a proper balanced diet. The client has an addiction of smoking cigarettes. The client uses street drugs once in a while. The client has admitted that her life is in a mess and she doesn’t know how to make it better. She is depressed.

What questions should you ask yourself while interviewing this client?

The following are the questions.

1) Will I be able to assist her in becoming addiction free?

2) What can I do to help her make her life better?

3) Have I gathered the maximum data from the client or is the client uncomfortable in disclosing the information?

4) What is the best life changing motivational advice I can give to the client to start the treatment?

During planning, how can you, as the nurse, best assist this client?

During planning, I can start by sharing a similar case study with her, to convince her that others have also gone through this phase and have successfully been treated. This will give her some hope.

When communicating with the client, I have to be polite and soft spoken. This will make the client comfortable and make her feel good.

I can ask her to share some happy moments of her life to cheer her up.

I can assist her in preparing a balanced healthy diet chart and educate her about the need of healthy diet and the danger of cigarettes and drugs.

I can motivate her to follow the instructions given through keeping a watch on her.

What are the potential strategies that would assist the client to a “better” life?

1) Balanced proper diet

2) Education on the dangers of smoking and drugs.

3) Motivation and support from near and dear ones.

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