Question

During a medication review session, a patient says, "I just do not know why I am taking all of these pills." Based on this piece of subjective data, which diagnosis will the nurse identify?

a. High risk for injury

b. Knowledge deficit

c. High risk for aspiration

d. Anxiety

Answer 1

A patient's confusion about their medications indicates a need for further assessment which might reveal a lack of understanding or education rather than a diagnosis of anxiety. This symptom should prompt further evaluation of the patient's knowledge and cognitive function to ensure effective treatment and patient compliance.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient expresses confusion about why they are taking multiple medications, this may not directly indicate a diagnosis of anxiety. This question centers on interpreting subjective data presented by the patient. A subjective symptom is an experience or feeling reported by the patient, such as pain or, in this context, confusion regarding medications. While this could be a sign of anxiety, it could also be an indication of a lack of understanding or education about one's treatment, which is essential for patient compliance and therapeutic outcomes.

The patient's inability to repeat a string of numbers suggests difficulty with immediate recall or working memory, which is a component of the mental status exam often used to assess cognitive function. Such difficulty does not necessarily signal an underlying mental health disorder like anxiety but may be part of natural variance, stress, or a more isolated cognitive issue.

In the context of health, the nurse should consider the entire clinical picture, past medical history, and further perform a focused assessment to determine the root cause and then plan appropriate educational or therapeutic interventions to address the patient's concerns.