L13 · Believes wrong health information
Actual Learning and self-management
Definition
The person holds beliefs about health that are inaccurate and may lead to harm.- Misinformation
- online rumors
- culture
- mistrust
- Refuses vaccines
- uses unsafe remedies
- delays treatment
📋 Scenario
A patient uses herbal paste instead of antibiotics.
Subjective (S): "I'll just use herbal paste instead."
Objective (O): Skin infection worsening; avoids antibiotics; believes herbs are better.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-LEARN Learning Readiness Check CP-SKIN Skin & Wound Score CP-INFECT Infection Check
Validated scales to consider: Teach-back, Braden Scale, TIME wound chart, qSOFA / sepsis screen
**CarePath diagnosis:** Believes wrong health information related to misinformation, as evidenced by using herbal paste instead of antibiotics while a skin infection worsens.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Listen. | Listening first shows respect and helps the nurse learn where the belief came from, which makes the patient more willing to hear other information later. |
| Correct kindly with facts. | Gentle, factual correction replaces the false belief without shaming the patient, and shame often makes people dig in and avoid care. |
| Use trusted sources. | Information from trusted, recognized sources is more convincing than the nurse's opinion alone and helps the patient compare it with the rumors or online claims they have seen. |
| Respect culture. | Respecting culture keeps trust intact and lets the nurse fit advice around the patient's values, so the patient does not feel that their background is being dismissed. |
| Involve the healthcare team. | The doctor, pharmacist or other team members can reinforce the same message and adjust treatment, and hearing it from several trusted people improves the chance the patient accepts care. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Accepts proper treatment.
- Infection resolves.
- Understands the evidence.
- Keeps follow-up.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
The patient says, "I'll just use herbal paste instead," while the skin infection is worsening and antibiotics are being avoided because herbs are believed to be better. This fits believes wrong health information because the belief is inaccurate and is already leading to harm, as the infection is getting worse. It is not simply a refusal of treatment, since the cause is the false belief itself, which can be corrected with facts. The plan aims for the patient to understand the evidence, accept proper treatment, see the infection resolve and keep follow-up visits, all reached by listening, respectful teaching and team support.
CarePath diagnosis
Believes wrong health information related to misinformation, as evidenced by using herbal paste instead of antibiotics while a skin infection worsens.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Listen. | Listening first shows respect and helps the nurse learn where the belief came from, which makes the patient more willing to hear other information later. |
| 2. Correct kindly with facts. | Gentle, factual correction replaces the false belief without shaming the patient, and shame often makes people dig in and avoid care. |
| 3. Use trusted sources. | Information from trusted, recognized sources is more convincing than the nurse's opinion alone and helps the patient compare it with the rumors or online claims they have seen. |
| 4. Respect culture. | Respecting culture keeps trust intact and lets the nurse fit advice around the patient's values, so the patient does not feel that their background is being dismissed. |
| 5. Involve the healthcare team. | The doctor, pharmacist or other team members can reinforce the same message and adjust treatment, and hearing it from several trusted people improves the chance the patient accepts care. |
Expected outcomes
- Accepts proper treatment.
- Infection resolves.
- Understands the evidence.
- Keeps follow-up.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
The patient says, "I'll just use herbal paste instead," while the skin infection is worsening and antibiotics are being avoided because herbs are believed to be better. This fits believes wrong health information because the belief is inaccurate and is already leading to harm, as the infection is getting worse. It is not simply a refusal of treatment, since the cause is the false belief itself, which can be corrected with facts. The plan aims for the patient to understand the evidence, accept proper treatment, see the infection resolve and keep follow-up visits, all reached by listening, respectful teaching and team support.