A home health nurse is reinforcing teaching about home safety with an older adult client who lives alone. Which of the following client statements indicates an understanding of the teaching?

A. Increased appetite: Radiation therapy, particularly to the head and neck, can cause nausea, mouth sores, and changes in taste, leading to a decrease in appetite rather than an increase.

B. Loose stools: Loose stools are not a typical side effect of external radiation for throat cancer. Radiation can affect gastrointestinal function if the abdomen or pelvis is irradiated, but it is not commonly associated with the throat area.

C. Bladder infection: Bladder infections are more likely to be associated with treatments like chemotherapy or radiation to the pelvic region, rather than radiation to the throat.

D. Loss of taste: Radiation therapy to the head and neck, including the throat, often affects the taste buds, leading to a condition called dysgeusia, or loss of taste. This is a well-known side effect of radiation in this area.

A. "This must be very frightening for you. Let's talk more about it.": This response demonstrates empathy and validation of the client's feelings, which can help build trust. It acknowledges the client's emotional state while not challenging or confronting their delusion directly. This approach helps maintain rapport while encouraging the client to express themselves.

B. "What makes you think the staff is following you?": This response could be perceived as questioning the validity of the client's experience, which may feel confrontational or invalidating. It is not the best approach for engaging a client with paranoid delusions.

C. “Why do you feel the staff is the FBI?": This question could also challenge the client's delusion and inadvertently reinforce their sense of being persecuted. Asking such a question might escalate anxiety rather than calm the client.

D. "The psychiatric staff is not FBI. They are here to help you.": While this response is factually correct, it may be perceived as dismissive of the client's experience. Confronting the delusion directly is generally not helpful and can increase the client's feelings of mistrust.