CARN Patient Education & Support Strategies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient asks about the difference between physical dependence and addiction. Which nurse explanation is most accurate?
- Physical dependence and addiction are the same condition with different names
- Physical dependence is a normal physiological adaptation; addiction involves compulsive use despite harm (Correct answer)
- Addiction always leads to physical dependence, but physical dependence never occurs without addiction
- Physical dependence is more serious than addiction because it requires medical management
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which education content should the nurse prioritize when a patient with stimulant use disorder is being discharged?
- Instructions for tapering stimulants over two weeks
- Recognition of stimulant-induced psychosis signs and the importance of outpatient follow-up (Correct answer)
- Prescription medication options available for cocaine use disorder
- How to manage stimulant cravings with antihistamines
Correct 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.
Question 3: When educating an older adult patient about alcohol use disorder, the nurse should particularly address:
- That alcohol use disorder is rare in adults over 65 and likely misdiagnosed
- Age-related pharmacokinetic changes that increase alcohol's effects and drug interaction risks (Correct answer)
- That brief interventions are not effective for older adults
- That naltrexone is contraindicated in all patients over 70
Correct 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.
Question 4: A patient asks why their treatment team recommends Narcotics Anonymous (NA) in addition to medication. The most accurate nurse response is:
- 'NA is required by law for patients receiving MOUD.'
- 'Peer support groups address social isolation and behavioral aspects of recovery that medication alone does not.' (Correct answer)
- 'NA can eventually replace your medication if you attend regularly enough.'
- 'NA meetings are primarily for patients who have relapsed multiple times.'
Correct 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.
Question 5: A nurse is teaching a patient with cannabis use disorder about withdrawal. Which symptom should be included in the education?
- Seizures within the first 24 hours of cessation
- Irritability, sleep disturbances, and decreased appetite beginning within 1-3 days of cessation (Correct answer)
- Severe hypertension requiring antihypertensive medication
- Hallucinations and delirium in the first week
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which principle of adult learning (andragogy) should most guide patient education design for adults in addiction treatment?
- Adults learn best through passive reception of expert-delivered content
- Adult learners are self-directed and motivated by education that is immediately relevant to their lives (Correct answer)
- Adults require more repetition than younger learners and need simplified content
- Adult learning is most effective when structured around grades and formal assessments
Correct 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.
Question 7: A patient with opioid use disorder who is breastfeeding asks if they can continue buprenorphine. The nurse's education should convey that:
- Buprenorphine is absolutely contraindicated during breastfeeding
- Buprenorphine transfers minimally into breast milk and breastfeeding is generally supported while on stable MOUD (Correct answer)
- The patient must choose between breastfeeding and MOUD with no middle option
- Breastfeeding is only safe if the buprenorphine dose is below 8 mg/day
Correct 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.
CARN Patient Education & Support Strategies 5
A patient asks about the difference between physical dependence and addiction.
Which nurse explanation is most accurate?