f. A woman who underwent a hysterectomy
feels she can no longer have a sexual rela-
tionship with her husband.
Diagnosis:Patient goal:9.Describe three strategies nurses can use to
help patients identify and use personal
strengths.
a.
b.
c.
10.Give three examples of how nurses can help
patients maintain a sense of self-worth.
a.b.c.11.Describe nursing strategies to develop self-
esteem that you might use to meet the needs
of the following elderly patients with distur-
bances in self-concept.
a.An 88-year-old woman, newly admitted to
a nursing home, says she has lost all sense
of self (Self-Identity Disturbance):b.A 75-year-old man with crippling arthritis
tells you he no longer recognizes himself
when he looks in the mirror (Body Image
Disturbance):c. A 62-year-old man who is recovering from
a stroke that has paralyzed his right side
says, “I don’t know if I can live like this.”
(Self-Esteem Disturbance):d.A 67-year-old woman complains that she
no longer has the patience to babysit for
her grandchildren, whom she loves (Role
Performance Disturbance):APPLYING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1.There are many factors that influence the self-
concept of patients, including developmental
considerations, culture, internal or external
resources, history of success or failure,
stressors, and aging, illness, or trauma. Inter-
view several patients to find out how these
factors have influenced their self-concept.
Once you’ve identified these factors, write
a nursing diagnosis for each patient and
develop patient health goals where
appropriate.
2.Would you describe yourself as having high or
low self-concept? Ask your friends if they agree
with your assessment. How might your self-
concept influence the relationship you estab-
lish with patients and colleagues?REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AND BLENDED SKILLS
Use the following expanded scenario from
Chapter 41 in your textbook to answer the
questions below.
Scenario:Anthony Santorini is a middle-aged
man with a history of diabetes. He recently
underwent a below-the-knee amputation due
to complications resulting from poor glucose
control. One morning, he states, “I feel like
damaged goods. I’m not a whole man
anymore.” When the nurse attempts to
initiate an assessment of his self-concept, he
turns his back on her and states: “Just leave
me alone, I don’t want to talk about it.”
1.What interventions might the nurse employ
to try to resolve Mr. Santorini’s self-image
disturbance?CHAPTER 41 SELF-CONCEPT 287
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