DocCom Module 3 Questions & Answers
Your son's 3-year-old friend falls and scrapes his knee while playing with his puppy at
the park. You saw him fall and know he is not seriously hurt. But he comes crying and
crawls into your lap. His tears stop in less than a minute and he climbs down and runs
off to continue playing. In this scenario which of the following is the most important
healing role you played?
A. Examining his knee for injury
B. Physical presence in the midst of his distress
C. Providing safety from the dog
D. Support for his normal development
E. Tolerance of his emotional expression - ANSWERSB is correct. Allowing him to be
close to you while he is tearful is a powerful therapeutic intervention. While the other
roles may be healing as well, closeness and support in the midst of distress is the larger
concept.
Question 2
An unidentified homeless man is brought to the hospital by ambulance. He has had
aggressive assessment and treatment in the emergency room, but it is clear that he will
die soon. Although conscious he is unable to speak and you have been unable to
contact any friends or relatives. When you enter his room to reassess him, he is alone.
He makes eye contact, reaches out and takes your hand, and then looks away. You sit
at his bedside and hold his hand for 30 minutes, until he dies. Which of the following is
the most important therapeutic role you played in the care of this patient?
A. Medical monitoring in case his condition changed
B. Prevention of futile medical interventions
C. Providing social support because he had no family available
, D. Supplying human contact in the midst of illness
E. Tolerance of his silence - ANSWERSThe best option is D. This patient is asking for
nothing but the touch of your hand. He is utterly alone. The most meaningful
intervention you can bestow is your willingness to be with him and maintain the human
physical contact he seems to want during his final moments of life. as he dies.
Question 3
A usually healthy 32-year-old physician comes to a walk-in clinic complaining of
unilateral ear pain. She has three children, 18-month-old twins and a 3-month-old with
her in the examination room. On maternity leave since the birth of the youngest, she is
due to return to work next week. She reports that the entire family is recovering from
upper respiratory infections. Other than a very large herpes simplex eruption on the
physician's upper lip her physical examination is normal. Your physician-patient is
already using the treatments you would recommend. As she is gathering up the children
to leave you remark, "You really have a lot to manage!" Your comment best fits with
which of the following therapeutic interventions?
A. Acknowledgement of stress
B. Pointing out unhealthy behaviors
C. Collegial solidarity
D. Expression of caring
E. Medical intervention - ANSWERSA Acknowledgement of stress is a very powerful
therapeutic intervention. It is not obvious that this physician, who is appropriately
managing her illness, needed medical assessment. She did not specifically ask to
speak about the stress of having young children and returning to work, but now has
encouragement to do so.
Question 4
Your patient, an intelligent and educated man, comes to clinic for ongoing treatment of
his Graves disease. His disease has been difficult to control because he frequently
delays refilling his prescription, misses doses, or "forgets" how he is supposed to take
the medication. Today's lab results are alarming; he is still hyperthyroid and at risk for
serious health consequences. Clearly he is not taking his medications as prescribed.
Which of the following statements would best encourage your patient to change his
maladaptive behaviors?
A. "I want you to start feeling better, but your tests show you're still quite hyperthyroid.
Are you having side effects from the medication that makes it difficult for you to take it?"
B. "I'm concerned that you still haven't been able to get your hyperthyroidism under
control. It may be time to implement other treatment options, like radioactive iodine."
Your son's 3-year-old friend falls and scrapes his knee while playing with his puppy at
the park. You saw him fall and know he is not seriously hurt. But he comes crying and
crawls into your lap. His tears stop in less than a minute and he climbs down and runs
off to continue playing. In this scenario which of the following is the most important
healing role you played?
A. Examining his knee for injury
B. Physical presence in the midst of his distress
C. Providing safety from the dog
D. Support for his normal development
E. Tolerance of his emotional expression - ANSWERSB is correct. Allowing him to be
close to you while he is tearful is a powerful therapeutic intervention. While the other
roles may be healing as well, closeness and support in the midst of distress is the larger
concept.
Question 2
An unidentified homeless man is brought to the hospital by ambulance. He has had
aggressive assessment and treatment in the emergency room, but it is clear that he will
die soon. Although conscious he is unable to speak and you have been unable to
contact any friends or relatives. When you enter his room to reassess him, he is alone.
He makes eye contact, reaches out and takes your hand, and then looks away. You sit
at his bedside and hold his hand for 30 minutes, until he dies. Which of the following is
the most important therapeutic role you played in the care of this patient?
A. Medical monitoring in case his condition changed
B. Prevention of futile medical interventions
C. Providing social support because he had no family available
, D. Supplying human contact in the midst of illness
E. Tolerance of his silence - ANSWERSThe best option is D. This patient is asking for
nothing but the touch of your hand. He is utterly alone. The most meaningful
intervention you can bestow is your willingness to be with him and maintain the human
physical contact he seems to want during his final moments of life. as he dies.
Question 3
A usually healthy 32-year-old physician comes to a walk-in clinic complaining of
unilateral ear pain. She has three children, 18-month-old twins and a 3-month-old with
her in the examination room. On maternity leave since the birth of the youngest, she is
due to return to work next week. She reports that the entire family is recovering from
upper respiratory infections. Other than a very large herpes simplex eruption on the
physician's upper lip her physical examination is normal. Your physician-patient is
already using the treatments you would recommend. As she is gathering up the children
to leave you remark, "You really have a lot to manage!" Your comment best fits with
which of the following therapeutic interventions?
A. Acknowledgement of stress
B. Pointing out unhealthy behaviors
C. Collegial solidarity
D. Expression of caring
E. Medical intervention - ANSWERSA Acknowledgement of stress is a very powerful
therapeutic intervention. It is not obvious that this physician, who is appropriately
managing her illness, needed medical assessment. She did not specifically ask to
speak about the stress of having young children and returning to work, but now has
encouragement to do so.
Question 4
Your patient, an intelligent and educated man, comes to clinic for ongoing treatment of
his Graves disease. His disease has been difficult to control because he frequently
delays refilling his prescription, misses doses, or "forgets" how he is supposed to take
the medication. Today's lab results are alarming; he is still hyperthyroid and at risk for
serious health consequences. Clearly he is not taking his medications as prescribed.
Which of the following statements would best encourage your patient to change his
maladaptive behaviors?
A. "I want you to start feeling better, but your tests show you're still quite hyperthyroid.
Are you having side effects from the medication that makes it difficult for you to take it?"
B. "I'm concerned that you still haven't been able to get your hyperthyroidism under
control. It may be time to implement other treatment options, like radioactive iodine."
