Question

The nurse is caring for a young adult who is recovering from burns over 75% of his body. While the nurse is changing his dressings, he says "it really doesn't matter if you do a good job or not. Once I'm out of here, it won't matter anyway." What should be the nurse's next actions? Select all that apply.

1. Inquire further about what he means by that statement
2. Deliver additional pain medication
3. Let his family know what he said
4. Notify other healthcare team members
5. Perform a depression assessment

Answer 1

The nurse should inquire further into the patient's statement, notify other healthcare team members, and perform a depression assessment to evaluate the patient's mental health and underlying feelings of hopelessness.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient expresses feelings of hopelessness like "it really doesn't matter if you do a good job or not..." it is important for a nurse to take specific actions. The first step would be to inquire further about the patient's statement to understand better what the patient is feeling and why. Then, reaching out to other healthcare team members is essential, as it may indicate depression or psychological distress related to the patient's current medical state or prognosis. Lastly, performing a depression assessment is crucial as it helps provide a more objective measure of the patient's mental health status and guides subsequent treatment approaches.