Listening to Patient Dialogues Flashcards
7 cards from real CELBAN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Listening to Patient Dialogues flashcards as text
A nurse hears a patient with COPD tell a visitor: 'They say I should use the puffer before I exercise, but I always forget because I feel fine at that time.' What education gap does this reveal?
Answer: The patient does not understand the preventive purpose of pre-exercise bronchodilator use
Using a bronchodilator before activity prevents exercise-induced bronchospasm; the patient's comment shows they don't grasp the preventive rationale.
During a patient round, a nurse hears a post-partum patient tell her partner: 'I love her so much but sometimes I just want to run away — is that terrible?' What is the nurse's best response?
Answer: Normalize the feeling while screening for postpartum depression using a validated tool
Ambivalent feelings are common postpartum, but the nurse should screen for postpartum depression using tools like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
In a dialysis unit, a patient says to another patient: 'I've been skipping some sessions — I just hate being here for so long.' A nurse overhears this. What is the priority action?
Answer: Speak privately with the patient to explore barriers and educate about the consequences of missed dialysis
Missed dialysis sessions can be life-threatening; a private, non-judgmental conversation to understand barriers is the first step in supporting adherence.
A patient with limited English proficiency says through a phone interpreter: 'The nurse yesterday told me to push the button if the pain is bad, but I don't want to bother anyone.' What barrier is this patient describing?
Answer: Cultural or social reluctance to request help, potentially leading to undertreated pain
Reluctance to 'bother' staff is a well-documented barrier to adequate pain reporting, particularly in patients from cultures that value stoicism or deference.
A charge nurse overhears a new nurse tell a patient: 'Your surgery is tomorrow morning, so you can't eat after midnight.' The patient's surgery is actually scheduled for the afternoon. What should the charge nurse do first?
Answer: Immediately clarify the fasting instructions with the patient to prevent unnecessary prolonged fasting
Prolonged unnecessary fasting can cause patient discomfort and dehydration; immediate correction of the instruction to the patient is the priority.
During a home care visit, a nurse hears a patient tell a neighbor on the phone: 'I just don't fill those prescriptions — they cost too much and I figure I'll be okay.' What should the nurse assess next?
Answer: The extent of the patient's non-adherence, the medications involved, and available drug benefit programs
Cost-related non-adherence requires identifying which medications are unfilled, assessing clinical risk, and connecting the patient with drug assistance programs.
A nurse hears a patient with heart failure tell their adult child: 'My ankles have been swelling for three days but I didn't want to call — I thought it would go away.' What does this statement indicate?
Answer: The patient may not understand that ankle swelling is a warning sign requiring prompt reporting in heart failure
Ankle edema is a key symptom of decompensating heart failure; patient education should reinforce that this symptom must be reported promptly.