OCN Patient Education and Psychosocial Care 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient expresses fear about alopecia from chemotherapy. The most therapeutic nursing response is:
- 'Your hair will grow back, so it isn't really a big deal.'
- 'Many patients feel the same way — let's talk about what this means for you and explore options like wigs or scalp cooling.' (Correct answer)
- 'Focus on surviving the cancer, not your hair.'
- 'Alopecia only affects about half of patients, so you may not experience it.'
Correct answer: 'Many patients feel the same way — let's talk about what this means for you and explore options like wigs or scalp cooling.'
Acknowledging the patient's concern and collaborating on solutions (wigs, scalp cooling) is the therapeutic approach that respects emotional impact and patient autonomy.
Question 2: Which of the following accurately describes anticipatory nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients?
- Nausea triggered by delayed serotonin release 5 days after chemotherapy
- A conditioned response where nausea occurs before chemotherapy begins, triggered by associated cues (Correct answer)
- Nausea caused by tumor-produced emetic factors
- Vomiting caused by morphine administration
Correct answer: A conditioned response where nausea occurs before chemotherapy begins, triggered by associated cues
Anticipatory nausea is a classically conditioned response where patients develop nausea before treatment in response to sights, smells, or other cues associated with chemotherapy.
Question 3: An advance directive (living will) in oncology primarily serves to:
- Assign a healthcare power of attorney
- Document the patient's wishes for end-of-life care in case they cannot speak for themselves (Correct answer)
- Authorize billing for cancer treatments
- Restrict information sharing with family members
Correct answer: Document the patient's wishes for end-of-life care in case they cannot speak for themselves
A living will is an advance directive that documents a patient's treatment wishes (e.g., CPR, ventilation) in the event they become incapacitated.
Question 4: Which psychosocial issue is most commonly reported by long-term cancer survivors?
- Post-traumatic growth only
- Fear of recurrence (Correct answer)
- Complete return to pre-cancer psychological baseline
- Indifference about follow-up care
Correct answer: Fear of recurrence
Fear of cancer recurrence is the most commonly reported psychosocial concern among cancer survivors and can significantly impair quality of life.
Question 5: Which of the following communication strategies improves medication adherence in cancer outpatients?
- Providing only written materials without verbal explanation
- Using teach-back method to confirm patient understanding (Correct answer)
- Limiting patient questions to save time
- Relying on family members to teach the patient
Correct answer: Using teach-back method to confirm patient understanding
The teach-back method — asking patients to explain instructions in their own words — confirms comprehension and significantly improves adherence.
Question 6: Cultural competence in oncology nursing primarily means:
- Treating all patients exactly the same regardless of background
- Adapting care to respect patients' cultural beliefs, values, and communication preferences (Correct answer)
- Learning only the dominant language of the patient population
- Assuming family members speak for patients from collectivist cultures
Correct answer: Adapting care to respect patients' cultural beliefs, values, and communication preferences
Cultural competence involves recognizing and adapting to each patient's cultural context — including beliefs about illness, decision-making, and communication — to provide equitable, respectful care.
OCN Patient Education and Psychosocial Care 2
A patient expresses fear about alopecia from chemotherapy.
The most therapeutic nursing response is: