A 75-year-old patient is discharged after left eye surgery and fears handling self-care with an eye patch. What is the most appropriate nursing action?

• A. Refer the patient for home health care services.
• B. Discuss the specific concerns regarding self-care.
• C. Give the patient written instructions regarding care.
• D. Assess the patient’s support system for care at home.

Answer: (B)

Addressing the patient’s fears directly by discussing specific self-care concerns is the most effective first step after discharge. When you invite the patient to share what worries them about caring for themselves with an eye patch, you uncover exact barriers, misconceptions, and functional limitations. This conversation helps tailor teaching to what the patient can safely do, clarifies how to perform activities with one eye patched, and identifies safety risks (such as balancing, reading, or navigating stairs). It also opens the door to arrange needed support or modifications before discharge, such as arranging home help if independence isn’t feasible. While written instructions and plans for home health or support services are valuable, they don’t address the patient’s personal fears and day-to-day challenges unless you first elicit and name those concerns.