Question

A 50-year-old patient with a body mass index (BMI) of 26 and a waist circumference (WC) of 37 who smokes asks a nurse about drugs for weight loss. She tells the nurse, "I keep trying to eat less, but it doesn't work." What will the nurse do?

a.Ask her to begin keeping a log of her food intake and activities.
b.Counsel her to quit smoking to reduce her health risk.
c.Suggest she begin walking every day to increase the number of calories burned.
d.Tell her she is a candidate for drug therapy and suggest she contact her provider.

Answer 1

The nurse should recommend the patient to keep a food and activity log and address any smoking habits. Walking daily and taking weight loss drugs should only be considered after addressing the underlying issues.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should ask the patient to begin keeping a log of her food intake and activities. This will help the patient track her eating habits and identify any patterns or triggers that may be contributing to her inability to lose weight. By keeping a record of her food intake and activities, the patient can work with a healthcare professional to develop a personalized plan for weight loss.

Counseling the patient to quit smoking is also important, as smoking can have negative effects on overall health and can contribute to difficulties in losing weight. However, in this scenario, addressing the patient's concerns about weight loss should be the primary focus.

While suggesting that the patient begin walking every day to increase calorie burn is a good recommendation for overall health and weight management, it may not be the immediate solution to the patient's concerns. It is important to address the underlying issues first before recommending additional lifestyle changes or interventions.