A 25-year-old patient calls the clinic complaining of diarrhea for 24 hours.
Which of the following should be the nurse's first response?

Choice A rationale

Encouraging the patient to write down questions promotes active engagement in their care and ensures that all their concerns are addressed during the consultation with the provider. This empowers the patient to seek clarification and understand the proposed plan of care directly from the healthcare professional responsible for it.

Choice B rationale

Providing internet articles about colon cancer stages can overwhelm the newly diagnosed patient with potentially complex and sometimes unreliable information. The specifics of the patient's diagnosis and treatment plan should come directly from their healthcare provider, who can tailor the information to their individual situation and answer specific questions.

Choice C rationale

While it is true that the provider will explain the planned treatment, this response does not actively address the patient's immediate need for information and may make the patient feel dismissed. Encouraging the patient to prepare questions ensures a more productive and informative discussion with the provider.

Choice D rationale

Explaining treatment options based on cancer stage is the responsibility of the healthcare provider, who has the complete clinical picture and can discuss the risks, benefits, and potential outcomes of each option in the context of the patient's specific case. The nurse's role at this stage is to facilitate communication between the patient and the provider, not to provide detailed medical explanations.

Choice A rationale

While the partner's intention may be good, allowing someone other than the client to administer PCA medication bypasses the safety mechanisms built into the pump and disregards the client's ability to self-titrate based on their pain level. This could lead to over-sedation and respiratory depression.

Choice B rationale

Patient-controlled analgesia is designed to allow clients to manage their own pain by self-administering medication within prescribed limits. The client is the best judge of their pain intensity and medication needs. Allowing the partner to push the button undermines this principle of patient autonomy and safety.

Choice C rationale

The nurse should not administer PCA medication based on a third party's assessment of the client's needs. This still circumvents the client's control and the safety features of the pump. The nurse's role is to assess the client directly and educate the client and family on proper PCA use.

Choice D rationale

While it's important to understand the partner's reasoning, the immediate concern is the inappropriate administration of medication. Addressing the partner's actions directly and educating them on the proper use of the PCA pump is the priority.