CPAN Patient Communication Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A post-anesthesia patient refuses to use the incentive spirometer despite instruction. Which communication approach is MOST effective?
- Tell the patient it is required and document refusal
- Explore the reason for refusal and address barriers before re-educating (Correct answer)
- Demonstrate the device again without asking for feedback
- Defer respiratory care until the patient agrees
Correct answer: Explore the reason for refusal and address barriers before re-educating
Identifying and addressing barriers to compliance is more effective than repeating instructions or documenting refusal without exploration.
Question 2: Which statement BEST reflects the teach-back method in PACU patient education?
- 'I just explained wound care — do you understand?'
- 'Can you show me how you would care for your incision at home?' (Correct answer)
- 'Here is your written instruction sheet; read it when you get home.'
- 'Your family will remind you of everything we covered today.'
Correct answer: 'Can you show me how you would care for your incision at home?'
Teach-back asks patients to demonstrate or explain information in their own words, confirming comprehension rather than just acknowledgment.
Question 3: A patient in the PACU becomes tearful and says, 'I just want to go home.' The MOST therapeutic response is:
- 'You'll be home before you know it — just relax.'
- 'I hear that you want to go home. Can you tell me more about how you're feeling right now?' (Correct answer)
- 'You need to meet discharge criteria first, so let's focus on that.'
- 'I'll call your family to let them know you're ready.'
Correct answer: 'I hear that you want to go home. Can you tell me more about how you're feeling right now?'
Empathetic reflection followed by an open-ended question invites the patient to share feelings and identifies unmet needs.
Question 4: When obtaining informed consent for a post-anesthesia procedure in the PACU, the nurse's PRIMARY role is to:
- Obtain the patient's signature on the consent form
- Witness the physician's explanation and ensure the patient's questions are answered (Correct answer)
- Explain all risks and benefits of the procedure to the patient
- Determine whether the patient has decision-making capacity
Correct answer: Witness the physician's explanation and ensure the patient's questions are answered
The nurse's role in informed consent is to witness the process, ensure voluntariness, and confirm the patient's questions have been addressed by the provider.
Question 5: A patient with low health literacy needs to understand post-op activity restrictions. Which strategy is MOST effective?
- Provide detailed written pamphlets with medical terminology
- Use plain language, short sentences, and pictures or diagrams (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient to research restrictions on a reputable website
- Verbally explain restrictions using standard medical terms once
Correct answer: Use plain language, short sentences, and pictures or diagrams
Plain language with visual aids improves comprehension for patients with low health literacy and reduces post-discharge errors.
Question 6: A PACU patient says, 'My doctor never tells me anything.' How should the nurse respond?
- 'I'm sure your doctor is very busy but has your best interests in mind.'
- 'I understand your frustration. What specific information do you feel you're missing?' (Correct answer)
- 'I'll let your doctor know you feel that way.'
- 'I can tell you everything you need to know instead.'
Correct answer: 'I understand your frustration. What specific information do you feel you're missing?'
Validating the patient's frustration and identifying specific information gaps empowers the patient and guides appropriate follow-up.
Question 7: Which action by the PACU nurse BEST supports a patient's right to self-determination regarding pain management?
- Administering analgesics on a fixed schedule regardless of patient preference
- Collaborating with the patient to set pain management goals aligned with their values (Correct answer)
- Withholding opioids if the nurse believes the patient is exaggerating pain
- Delegating pain management decisions entirely to the anesthesiologist
Correct answer: Collaborating with the patient to set pain management goals aligned with their values
Shared decision-making that incorporates the patient's pain goals and values upholds autonomy and improves satisfaction and outcomes.
CPAN Patient Communication Skills 3
A post-anesthesia patient refuses to use the incentive spirometer despite instruction.
Which communication approach is MOST effective?