OCN Patient Education and Psychosocial Care 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When teaching a patient about neutropenic precautions at home, which instruction is most important?
- Avoid all physical activity
- Avoid raw fruits, vegetables, and crowds; report fever promptly (Correct answer)
- Take prophylactic antibiotics without physician guidance
- Restrict fluid intake to 1 liter per day
Correct answer: Avoid raw fruits, vegetables, and crowds; report fever promptly
Neutropenic patients must avoid infection sources (raw produce, crowds) and report fever immediately, as infection can become life-threatening rapidly.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'informed consent' in oncology?
- The patient signs a form agreeing to any treatment the physician recommends
- The patient receives complete information about diagnosis, treatment options, risks, benefits, and alternatives to make a voluntary decision (Correct answer)
- Consent is only required for surgical procedures
- Family members can always provide consent instead of the patient
Correct answer: The patient receives complete information about diagnosis, treatment options, risks, benefits, and alternatives to make a voluntary decision
Informed consent requires that patients receive full disclosure of their condition, options, risks, benefits, and alternatives and voluntarily agree to the proposed treatment.
Question 3: A newly diagnosed cancer patient tells the nurse, 'I just can't believe this is happening to me.' The nurse's best therapeutic response is:
- 'Everything will be fine, many people beat cancer.'
- 'I understand this must be very difficult and shocking for you right now.' (Correct answer)
- 'You need to stay positive to fight this disease.'
- 'Let me give you the statistics on your survival odds.'
Correct answer: 'I understand this must be very difficult and shocking for you right now.'
Acknowledging the patient's emotional state with empathic reflection validates their experience and builds therapeutic trust.
Question 4: Which statement about cancer survivorship is accurate?
- Survivorship care begins only after a patient is declared cured
- Survivorship encompasses physical, emotional, social, and financial effects from diagnosis onward (Correct answer)
- Follow-up visits are only needed to monitor for cancer recurrence
- Long-term side effects of treatment are rare and not worth discussing
Correct answer: Survivorship encompasses physical, emotional, social, and financial effects from diagnosis onward
Cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis and encompasses the full spectrum of physical, psychological, social, and financial challenges throughout and beyond treatment.
Question 5: Which factor most strongly predicts a patient's ability to understand and act on cancer-related health information?
- Age
- Health literacy level (Correct answer)
- Education level
- Socioeconomic status
Correct answer: Health literacy level
Health literacy — the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information — is the strongest predictor of a patient's ability to navigate cancer care.
Question 6: The nurse is assessing a cancer patient for distress. Which validated tool is recommended by NCCN for this purpose?
- PHQ-9 Depression Scale
- Distress Thermometer (Correct answer)
- Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
- Beck Depression Inventory
Correct answer: Distress Thermometer
The NCCN Distress Thermometer is a validated, brief (0–10) screening tool recommended for routine distress screening in oncology patients.
OCN Patient Education and Psychosocial Care 1
When teaching a patient about neutropenic precautions at home, which instruction is most important?