Final answer:
For a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the nurse should educate that care focuses primarily on attaining remission, typically using a combination chemotherapy regimen for the most effective treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient is diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the nurse should educate the patient that care will primarily focus on attaining remission. Treatment of AML often involves a combination of therapies, which includes chemotherapy, with the use of multiple drugs each having a different mode of action to target cancer cells effectively. This approach is based on the concept that using a combination of chemotherapeutic agents can lower the risk of cancer cells developing resistance compared to using a single chemotherapy agent. It is critical to achieve and maintain remission, which refers to the absence of leukemia cells in the body after treatment and is considered a successful outcome. Leukopheresis might be used in certain situations to decrease very high white cell counts, especially before starting chemotherapy. However, it is not the primary focus of care. Furthermore, merely waiting with active supportive care without aiming for remission is generally not the chosen strategy for AML unless the patient's health condition precludes aggressive treatment.