Matt Cox, a 46-year-old, is accompanied to the emergency department (ED) by a police officer who found him standing on a bridge,
threatening to jump. Matt planned to jump off the bridge because his girlfriend moved out of their shared home and he lost his job as a chef several days ago. Vital signs upon admission include:Matt has a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, but he reports drinking only four beers in the last 12 hours. He denies using medications or illegal drugs within the past 72 hours. Matt is known to the nursing staff because of previous admissions related to alcohol abuse. Matt is angry and uncooperative, and the nurses will not allow him leave. Matt states that he has felt sad for several weeks, which is the reason he drinks alcohol. He reports sleeping 5 to 6 hours a night and states that his appetite is poor, resulting in significant weight loss over the past month. Physical health problems include a history of compromised liver function. ...
What is the first question that the nurse should ask Matt?a."Have you ever thought that you should cut down on your drinking?"b.How much do you drink daily?
The Nurse should ask Matt b. "How much do you drink daily?" This is a non-confrontational way to determine if the patient is struggling with alcoholism.
