A male client atends a community support program for mentally impaired and chemical abusing clients. The client tells the practical nurse (PN) that his drugs of choice are cocaine and heroin.

What is the greatest health risk for this client?

The correct answer is choice A: "It's OK if you don't want to look or talk about the mastectomy. I will be available when you're ready.”.

Choice A rationale:

This response shows empathy and understanding, acknowledging the client's feelings and respecting her decision not to look at or discuss the incision. It allows the client to take control of her own emotions and healing process, while also reassuring her that the nurse will be available whenever she feels ready to talk or see the incision.

Choice B rationale:

Telling the client that she will feel better when she sees the incision minimizes her feelings and may be seen as dismissive. It does not address her emotions or concerns and can be counterproductive to building trust and rapport.

Choice C rationale:

Suggesting to call another nurse to be present while showing the wound might make the client feel uncomfortable or pressured. It is essential to establish a therapeutic nurse-client relationship, and forcing the issue could increase the client's distress.

Choice D rationale:

Telling the client that part of recovery is accepting her new body image and needing to look at her incision is insensitive and inappropriate. It is not the nurse's role to dictate how the client should feel about her body or her healing process. Such a response could potentially harm the nurse-client relationship and hinder the client's emotional healing.

The correct answer is

Choice D rationale:

The practical nurse (PN) should review the client's risk factors for exercise intolerance that impact his quality of life. By doing so, the PN can assess the client's overall health and identify any potential issues that might contribute to his fatigue. This response shows the PN's concern for the client's well-being and is focused on exploring the root cause of his tiredness.

Choice A rationale:

Determining if the client can move to a residential home without lawn maintenance is not appropriate in response to his complaint about feeling tired. This option does not address the underlying issue and assumes the client is unable to care for his own lawn, which may not be the case.

Choice B rationale:

Recommending that the client retires from doing outdoor chores is also not appropriate. It assumes the client's fatigue is solely due to his age and disregards the possibility of other contributing factors that might be addressed.

Choice C rationale:

Advising the client that fatigue is a common characteristic of aging is not a comprehensive response. While fatigue can be related to aging, it is crucial to explore the specific reasons for the client's tiredness before assuming it is solely age-related.