Patient Advocacy & Counseling Flashcards

A parishioner asks the parish nurse whether they should enroll in a clinical trial their oncologist recommended. The nurse's BEST response is to:

Answer: Help the parishioner formulate informed questions to ask the oncologist and support their decision-making process

Supporting informed decision-making by helping the parishioner formulate questions respects autonomy without overstepping the parish nurse's scope of practice.

Which of the following behaviors demonstrates effective cultural humility in parish nurse counseling?

Answer: Acknowledging the limits of one's cultural knowledge and asking parishioners to share their own perspectives

Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection and inviting individuals to share their own cultural context rather than assuming shared understanding.

A parishioner's family contacts the parish nurse seeking updates on their family member's health status without the patient's consent. The nurse should:

Answer: Decline to share information and explain confidentiality requirements to the family

Patient confidentiality must be maintained; the parish nurse should clearly explain this boundary to the family without disclosing any information.

A parish nurse is working with a parishioner who has a history of mental illness and is non-adherent to treatment. The MOST supportive advocacy approach is to:

Answer: Engage the parishioner in exploring barriers to treatment adherence and work collaboratively on solutions

Exploring barriers collaboratively using a non-judgmental approach respects autonomy and is more likely to support sustainable treatment engagement.

When a parishioner expresses anger toward God following a traumatic event, the parish nurse should FIRST:

Answer: Listen without judgment and acknowledge that anger is a normal part of spiritual and grief response

Non-judgmental listening and normalizing spiritual anger validates the parishioner's experience and maintains a therapeutic relationship.

A parish nurse notices that a homebound elderly parishioner appears to be experiencing self-neglect. The MOST appropriate immediate action is to:

Answer: Assess the situation thoroughly and contact Adult Protective Services if mandatory reporting criteria are met

Thorough assessment followed by mandatory reporting if criteria are met protects the vulnerable elder while ensuring appropriate intervention.

Which of the following BEST illustrates the parish nurse functioning as a 'health educator' within the counseling role?

Answer: Teaching a parishioner newly diagnosed with diabetes how to interpret blood glucose readings and self-monitor

Health education—such as teaching self-monitoring skills—is a core parish nurse function that empowers parishioners to manage their own health.