Nokea
A nursing instructor is describing the nurse-patient relationship to a group of nursing students. Which of the following would the instructor emphasize as crucial for establishing and maintaining the relationship?
- A. Rapport
- B. Empathy
- C. Self-awareness
- D. Values
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rapport, a trusting and harmonious connection, is crucial for establishing and maintaining the nurse-patient relationship, fostering open communication. Empathy and self-awareness support rapport, but rapport is the foundation. Values guide practice but are less directly tied to the relationship.
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The nurse is engaged in a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. The relationship is in the working phase. With which of the following would the patient be involved? Select all that apply.
- A. Beginning to identify a need
- B. Testing new ways for problem solving
- C. Testing the relationship
- D. Discussing problems related to needs
- E. Examining personal issues
Correct Answer: B,D,E
Rationale: In the working phase of the nurse-patient relationship (per Peplau), the patient actively engages in problem-solving, discussing needs, and examining personal issues to achieve therapeutic goals. Identifying needs and testing the relationship occur in the orientation phase.
A nurse has engaged in self-awareness and has come to understand his own personal beliefs and attitudes and has recognized some prejudicial ideas. Based on this understanding, which of the following would the nurse now be able to accomplish?
- A. Have a therapeutic relationship with a patient.
- B. Influence patients with certain biases.
- C. Change learned behaviors.
- D. Formulate values and morals.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Self-awareness, including recognizing personal biases, allows the nurse to set aside prejudices and engage objectively with patients, fostering a therapeutic relationship. Influencing patients with biases is unethical, changing behaviors requires more than self-awareness, and formulating values and morals is a broader personal process not directly tied to patient care.
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 patient who is hospitalized with depression tells the nurse, 'I don?t want to take the medication because I?m afraid I?ll become suicidal.' Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?
- B. It?s important that you take this medication.
- C. I agree with you. I wouldn?t want to take this medication either.
- D. Another patient took that medication, and he really felt better.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The patient?s fear of becoming suicidal warrants immediate assessment for suicidal ideation. Asking 'Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?' directly addresses this concern and ensures patient safety. Other responses dismiss the fear, agree inappropriately, or provide irrelevant anecdotes, none of which address the patient?s concern effectively.
A patient is a successful insurance salesman; however, because of market changes, his level of sales has dropped. His boss tells him he will consequently be receiving a $2,000 per year cut in his salary. When the patient arrives home from work, the family dog runs to greet him as he always does, barking and jumping up and down and begging for attention. The patient yells at the dog, 'Get away from me; I can?t take your barking right now.' The patient?s response reflects a defense mechanism because it was which of the following?
- A. An intentional behavior performed to let the dog know his behavior was inappropriate
- B. Automatic, protecting the patient from the anxiety related to his upcoming pay cut
- C. Implemented to keep the patient from having to cope with his upcoming pay cut
- D. Implemented so the patient could rationalize his upcoming pay cut
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The patient?s response reflects displacement, a defense mechanism where emotions (anxiety about the pay cut) are redirected to a less threatening target (the dog). This is automatic and protects the patient from directly confronting anxiety. The response is not intentional training, avoidance of coping, or rationalization.