Patient Education & Support Strategies Flashcards
7 cards from real CARN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Education & Support Strategies flashcards as text
A patient asks about the difference between physical dependence and addiction. Which nurse explanation is most accurate?
Answer: Physical dependence is a normal physiological adaptation; addiction involves compulsive use despite harm
Physical dependence is a predictable physiological response to regular drug use, while addiction involves compulsive, harmful use driven by neurobiological changes.
Which education content should the nurse prioritize when a patient with stimulant use disorder is being discharged?
Answer: Recognition of stimulant-induced psychosis signs and the importance of outpatient follow-up
Stimulant withdrawal can precipitate psychosis, making recognition of symptoms and timely outpatient follow-up critical discharge education priorities.
When educating an older adult patient about alcohol use disorder, the nurse should particularly address:
Answer: Age-related pharmacokinetic changes that increase alcohol's effects and drug interaction risks
Aging causes reduced hepatic metabolism and total body water, increasing blood alcohol concentration and drug interaction risk at lower consumption levels.
A patient asks why their treatment team recommends Narcotics Anonymous (NA) in addition to medication. The most accurate nurse response is:
Answer: 'Peer support groups address social isolation and behavioral aspects of recovery that medication alone does not.'
Peer support groups like NA complement MOUD by providing community, accountability, and behavioral coping strategies that medication does not address.
A nurse is teaching a patient with cannabis use disorder about withdrawal. Which symptom should be included in the education?
Answer: Irritability, sleep disturbances, and decreased appetite beginning within 1-3 days of cessation
Cannabis withdrawal syndrome includes irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and decreased appetite, typically beginning 1-3 days after cessation.
Which principle of adult learning (andragogy) should most guide patient education design for adults in addiction treatment?
Answer: Adult learners are self-directed and motivated by education that is immediately relevant to their lives
Andragogy emphasizes that adults are self-directed learners who engage most effectively with education that is immediately relevant and practical to their real-world situations.
A patient with opioid use disorder who is breastfeeding asks if they can continue buprenorphine. The nurse's education should convey that:
Answer: Buprenorphine transfers minimally into breast milk and breastfeeding is generally supported while on stable MOUD
Current evidence supports breastfeeding in stable MOUD patients because buprenorphine transfers minimally into breast milk, and the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks.