A patient expresses fear of going home and being alone. Vital signs are stable and the incision is nearly completely healed. What can the nurse infer from the subjective data?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: The patient is apprehensive about discharge. This is the correct answer because the patient's fear of going home and being alone indicates apprehension about discharge, which is a common feeling among patients transitioning from the hospital to home care. This subjective data suggests that the patient may need additional support and education prior to discharge to address their fears and concerns.
A: The patient can now perform the dressing changes without help - This is incorrect because the patient's fear of going home and being alone does not necessarily indicate their ability to perform dressing changes independently.
B: The patient can begin retaking all of the previous medications - This is incorrect as the fear expressed by the patient is related to being alone at home, not to medication management.
D: The patient’s surgery was not successful - This is incorrect as there is no indication in the subjective data provided that the surgery was not successful.