Nokea
While talking with a patient diagnosed with major depressive disorder, a nurse notices the patient is unable to maintain eye contact. The patient's chin lowers to the chest while the patient looks at the floor. Which aspect of communication has the nurse assessed?
- A. Nonverbal communication
- B. A message filter
- C. A cultural barrier
- D. Social skills
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Eye contact and body movements are considered nonverbal communication. Insufficient data are available to determine the level of the patient's social skills or whether a cultural barrier exists.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse interacts with a newly hospitalized patient. Which nursing statement reflects the communication technique of 'offering self'?
- A. I've also had traumatic life experiences. Maybe it would help if I told you about them.
- B. Why do you think you had so much difficulty adjusting to this change in your life?
- C. I hope you will feel better after getting accustomed to how this unit operates.
- D. I'd like to sit with you for a while to help you get comfortable talking to me.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Offering self' is a technique that should be used in the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship. Sitting with the patient, an example of 'offering self,' helps build trust and conveys that the nurse cares about the patient. Two incorrect responses are ineffective and nontherapeutic. The other incorrect response is therapeutic but an example of 'offering hope.'
Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in listening?
- A. Restate a feeling or thought the patient has expressed.
- B. Ask a direct question, such as, 'Did you feel angry?'
- C. Make a judgment about the patient's problem.
- D. Say, 'I understand what you're saying.'
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Restating allows the patient to validate the nurse's understanding of what has been communicated. Restating is an active listening technique. Judgments should be suspended in a nurse-patient relationship. Closed-ended questions such as 'Did you feel angry?' ask for specific information rather than show understanding. When the nurse simply states that he or she understands the patient's words, the patient has no way of measuring the understanding.
The relationship between a nurse and patient as it relates to status and power is best described by which term?
- A. Symmetric
- B. Complementary
- C. Incongruent
- D. Paralinguistic
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When a difference in power exists, as between student and teacher or nurse and patient, the relationship is said to be complementary. Symmetrical relationships exist between individuals of like or equal status. Incongruent and paralinguistic are not terms used to describe relationships.
A school-age child tells the school nurse, 'Other kids call me mean names and will not sit with me at lunch. Nobody likes me.' Select the nurse's most therapeutic response.
- A. Just ignore them and they will leave you alone.
- B. You should make friends with other children.
- C. Call them names if they do that to you.
- D. Tell me more about how you feel.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct response uses exploring, a therapeutic technique. The distracters give advice, a nontherapeutic technique.
A patient with severe depression states, 'God is punishing me for my past sins.' What is the nurse's best response?
- A. Why do you think that?'
- B. You sound very upset about this.'
- C. You believe God is punishing you for your sins?'
- D. If you feel this way, you should talk to a member of your clergy.'
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse reflects on the patient's comment, a therapeutic technique to encourage sharing for perceptions and feelings. The incorrect responses reflect probing, closed-ended comments, and giving advice, all of which are nontherapeutic.