Communication in Nursing Test Bank

Question 1 of 53

The nurse can best ensure that communication is understood by:

A. speaking slowly and clearly in the patient's native language.

B. asking the family members whether the patient understands.

C. obtaining feedback from the patient that indicates accurate comprehension.

D. checking for signs of hearing loss or aphasia before communicating. The best way to determine understanding is to ask the patient. Factors such as anxiety, hearing acuity, language, aphasia, or lack of familiarity with medical jargon or routines can all contribute to misunderstanding.

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Question 2 of 53

A nurse using active listening techniques would:

A. use nonverbal cues such as leaning forward, focusing on the speaker's face, and slightly nodding to indicate that the message has been heard.

B. avoid the use of eye contact to allow the patient to express herself without feeling stared at or demeaned.

C. anticipate what the speaker is trying to say and help the patient express herself when she has difficulty with finishing a sentence.

D. ask probing questions to direct the conversation and obtain the information needed as efficiently as possible. Eye contact is a culturally learned behavior and in some cases may not be appropriate. Probing questions or finishing the patient's sentence is not part of active listening and is detrimental to an interview.

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Question 3 of 53

The nurse explains that the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship differs from the social relationship because:

A. a social relationship does not have goals or needs to be met.

B. the nurse-patient relationship ends when the patient is discharged.

C. the focus is mainly on the nurse in the nurse-patient relationship.

D. a social relationship does not require trust or sharing of life experiences. The nurse-patient relationship is limited to the patient's stay in the facility and is focused on the patient. A social relationship may have goals or needs and does require trust and sharing of life experiences.

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Question 4 of 53

When an office nurse asks the patient to repeat information that he has just given to the patient over the telephone, the nurse is:

A. testing the patient's intelligence and memory.

B. acting in a cautious way to avoid charges of negligence.

C. verifying that the patient understands the information.

D. saving the extra time it would take to mail the information. Obtaining feedback from a patient to ascertain that the patient understands instructions is an important part of the communication process, especially over the phone, when the nurse does not have nonverbal cues.

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Question 5 of 53

A patient asks the nurse, "What would you do if you had cancer and had to choose between surgery and chemotherapy?" The reply that can best help the patient is:

A. "If I were you, I would choose surgery and then consider chemo afterward."

B. "What solutions have you considered?"

C. "I would talk it over with my friends first."

D. "I don't know. I'm glad it isn't my decision." Nurses can help by reminding patients of alternatives open to them and should refrain from giving advice but can encourage the patient to consider options. The nurse may be glad not to face a decision a patient must, but it is not helpful to the patient to say this.

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