The nursing student is caring for a group of patients on the medical-surgical unit who need to be ambulated during the day.She tells the primary nurse,"Some of my patients feel so sick but want to get out of bed.Others say they feel well but don't want to get out of bed.What should I do?" What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
A) "All patients are supposed to be out of bed today so do the best you can with them."
B) "This is not uncommon. Sometimes you have to push some patients more than others."
C) "All patients may respond to illness differently. Explain to them that they must be out of bed today.
D) "Get the patients out of bed who want to get up, and help the others to ambulate later in the day."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nurses understand health and illness as individual experiences,emerging from each patient's unique responses.In short,nurses honor the patient's understanding and feelings of his or her state of health and illness.It is appropriate to ambulate patients who want to get out of bed and allow others to ambulate later.This promotes and facilitates patient-centered care and allows the patient some control and decision making in his environment.All patients may indeed have prescriptions to get out of bed,but telling the nursing student to do the best she can or push the patients,does not assist the student to understand that all patients do respond to illness and wellness differently; nor does it consider the patient-centered approach to care.

The Nursing Student Is Caring for a Group of Patients