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A female psychiatric patient is talking to the nurse about her reasons for being hospitalized. She begins to discuss her relationship with her female significant other. The patient is describing the things in her relationship that are making her uncomfortable, and she asks, 'Should I break up with my partner?' Which response by the nurse would be most effective in building rapport between the patient and nurse?
- A. Of course you should; being a lesbian is just not natural.
- B. Yes, I think you should pursue building a relationship with a man.
- C. It sounds like you?re beginning to be uncomfortable in this relationship.
- D. You need to focus on yourself rather than the relationship right now.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Building rapport requires a nonjudgmental, empathetic response that acknowledges the patient?s feelings. 'It sounds like you?re beginning to be uncomfortable in this relationship' reflects the patient?s emotions, fostering trust. Options A and B are judgmental and biased, and option D shifts focus prematurely, potentially dismissing the patient?s concerns.
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A nurse responds to a patient?s statement with silence based on the rationale that this technique is used primarily to do which of the following?
- A. Allow the nurse to determine an appropriate response
- B. Permit the patient to gather his or her thoughts
- C. Encourage self-reflection by the nurse
- D. Demonstrate passive listening
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Silence in therapeutic communication allows the patient to gather thoughts, process emotions, or continue speaking, promoting deeper exploration. It?s not primarily for the nurse?s response planning, self-reflection, or passive listening, which is nontherapeutic.
While providing care to a patient with a mental disorder, the patient asks the nurse, 'Does mental illness run in your family?' Which response by the nurse would be most inappropriate?
- A. Mental illnesses do run in families, and I?ve had a lot of experience caring for people with mental illness.
- B. It sounds like you are concerned that there may be a family connection to your current problem?
- C. Yes, it does. I have a sister who was diagnosed several years ago with severe major depression.
- D. Mental illness can be family related. Let?s focus the discussion on you and how you?re doing today.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Self-disclosure, especially personal details like a family member?s mental illness, is inappropriate in therapeutic communication unless it directly benefits the patient. Option C risks shifting focus to the nurse. Other responses redirect to the patient?s concerns or provide general information, maintaining therapeutic focus.
A nurse engaged in an interaction with a patient recognizes body space zones. Which of the following would the nurse identify as the individual?s personal zone?
- A. Beginning at the boundary of the intimate zone and ending at the social zone
- B. Extending outward from the border to the public zone
- C. Surrounding and protecting an individual from others, especially outsiders
- D. The most distant boundary that can be used for recognizing intruders
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The personal zone, per Hall?s proxemics theory, extends from 1.5 to 4 feet, beginning at the boundary of the intimate zone (0?1.5 feet) and ending at the social zone (4?12 feet). It?s used for comfortable interactions. Other options describe the social zone, a general concept, or the public zone, respectively.
A group of nursing students are preparing a class presentation on therapeutic and nontherapeutic techniques of communication. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they select which techniques to demonstrate as therapeutic? Select all that apply.
- A. Confrontation
- B. Open-ended statements
- C. Reflection
- D. Reassurance
- E. Agreement
- F. Challenges
Correct Answer: B,C
Rationale: Open-ended statements and reflection are therapeutic techniques, encouraging patient exploration and self-expression. Confrontation and challenges can be therapeutic in specific contexts but are often nontherapeutic if poorly timed. Reassurance and agreement risk dismissing patient concerns or aligning too closely, reducing therapeutic value.
A patient is talking to the nurse about the recent death of her grandmother. She is obviously very sad, and a tear rolls down her cheek as she talks. The nurse remembers how she felt when her own grandmother died the previous summer. The nurse puts her hand on the patient?s shoulder and says, 'This must be very difficult for you.' The nurse is demonstrating empathy based on which of the following?
- A. The response comment reflects an attempt to communicate understanding of patient?s feelings.
- B. The nurse?s response and use of reassuring touch reinforce the nurse?s concern for the patient.
- C. The nurse demonstrates understanding of how the patient feels because of her own grandmother?s death.
- D. The nurse?s statement expresses compassion and kindness toward the patient.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Empathy involves understanding and communicating the patient?s feelings. The nurse?s statement and touch reflect an attempt to convey understanding of the patient?s grief, aligning with empathy. Option C describes countertransference, and options B and D describe compassion but not the specific mechanism of empathy.