In caring for a patient receiving a cesium implant, which strategy best supports emotional well-being?

• A. Have family visit hourly
• B. Encourage use of a personal phone to talk to friends and family
• C. Arrange group therapy
• D. Schedule discharge in 2 days

Answer: (B)

Maintaining social connections is essential for emotional well-being during radiation therapy with a cesium implant. Encouraging the patient to use a personal phone to talk with friends and family lets them reach out for support, share feelings, and receive reassurance while staying within safety and infection-control guidelines. This ongoing contact helps reduce anxiety, lift mood, and give a sense of normalcy and control during a challenging treatment.

Frequent hourly in-person visits can be impractical and disruptive to care and safety protocols. Group therapy, while valuable in some contexts, may not address the patient’s immediate emotional needs or fit the hospital setting. Scheduling discharge in a short timeframe might create anxiety if clinical status isn't ready for discharge. The personal-phone option best supports emotional well-being in a feasible, patient-centered way.