The nurse is counseling a couple who suspect that they could bear a child with a genetic abnormality. What would be most important for the nurse to incorporate into the plan of care when working with this family?A. Gathering information from at least three generationsB. Informing the family of the need for a wide range of information C. Maintaining the confidentiality of the informationD. Presenting the information in a nondirective manner
Answer: DRationale: It is essential to respect client autonomy and present information in a factual,nondirective manner. In these situations, the nurse needs to understand that the choice is the couple’s to make. Gathering information for three generations obtains a broad overview of what has been seen in both sides of the family. Maintaining confidentiality of the information is as important as with any other client information gathered. Informing family of the need for information is necessary because of its personal nature.
When counseling a couple who suspect that they could bear a child with a genetic abnormality, the nurse would need to incorporate the following into the plan of care:
B. Informing the family of the need for a wide range of information – The nurse should inform the family of the need for a comprehensive set of information to properly evaluate the risks of having a child with a genetic abnormality. This includes obtaining family history, previous medical conditions, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. The nurse should also discuss the possibility of genetic counseling to assess the risks more precisely.
D. Presenting the information in a nondirective manner – The nurse should provide the family with accurate and unbiased information about the risks of having a child with a genetic abnormality in a nondirective manner. This allows the couple to make an informed decision on how to proceed with their pregnancy.
Since the couple is already suspecting the possibility of a genetic abnormality, obtaining information from three generations or maintaining confidentiality of information may not be the priority. However, maintaining confidentiality of sensitive medical information is critical and should be done at all times.
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