A nurse in a mental health clinic is attempting to develop a therapeutic relationship with a client. Which of the following should be the appropriate action by the nurse?

Set limits for the relationship.

Engage in affectionate interactions with the client.

Promote the use of transference by the client.

Instruct the client on how he should behave.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

The correct answer is choice A: Set limits for the relationship.

Choice A rationale:

Setting limits for the therapeutic relationship (Choice A) is an essential nursing action. Boundaries help create a safe and structured environment, ensuring that both the nurse and client maintain appropriate roles. Limits prevent overstepping boundaries that could compromise the therapeutic alliance. Setting limits for the relationship is an essential part of establishing a therapeutic relationship in a mental health setting. This helps to maintain professional boundaries and ensures that the relationship remains focused on the client’s needs and therapeutic goals.

Choice B rationale:

Engaging in affectionate interactions with the client (Choice B) is not appropriate in a therapeutic relationship. Professionalism and maintaining appropriate boundaries are crucial in psychiatric nursing. Affectionate interactions could blur the lines between the therapeutic relationship and personal relationships, potentially harming the client's progress.

Choice C rationale:

Promoting the use of transference by the client (Choice C) is not a suitable approach. Transference occurs when a client projects feelings and emotions onto the nurse based on past experiences. While it can be valuable to explore transference, actively promoting it could lead to confusion and misunderstandings in the therapeutic relationship.

Choice D rationale:

Instructing the client on how they should behave (Choice D) is contrary to the principles of a therapeutic relationship. The therapeutic relationship is client-centered, where the nurse supports the client's self-discovery and growth. Directing the client's behavior undermines their autonomy and inhibits their progress.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

(Correct) Severe anxiety can lead to a fight-or-flight response, which might manifest as aggressive behavior. The individual might feel threatened and react defensively, potentially displaying aggressive actions to protect themselves.

Choice B rationale:

Attention-seeking conduct is less likely to be a primary manifestation of severe anxiety. While individuals with anxiety might seek reassurance or attention, the level of anxiety described here is more likely to evoke a defensive response rather than attention-seeking behavior.

Choice C rationale:

Mild fidgeting can be a manifestation of anxiety, but in the context of severe anxiety, the physical symptoms are often more pronounced, including restlessness, trembling, and muscle tension.

Choice D rationale:

Mild difficulty problem-solving is less likely to be a prominent manifestation of severe anxiety. Severe anxiety tends to affect the individual's ability to function and cope, leading to more intense and immediate reactions.

A. Ask the client direct questions about the hallucination. B. Act to the client as if the hallucination is real. C. Tell the client to go to their room and they should go away. D. Instruct the client to argue with the voices that are a part of the hallucination.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The correct answer is choice A. Ask the client direct questions about the hallucination.

Choice A rationale:

Asking direct questions about the hallucination helps the nurse understand the client’s experience and assess the content and intensity of the hallucinations. This approach also allows the nurse to provide appropriate support and interventions.

Choice B rationale:

Acting as if the hallucination is real can reinforce the client’s distorted perception of reality, which is not therapeutic. The nurse should acknowledge the client’s experience without validating the hallucination as real.

Choice C rationale:

Telling the client to go to their room and that the hallucinations should go away is dismissive and does not address the client’s immediate needs. It is important to engage with the client and provide support rather than dismiss their experience.

Choice D rationale:

Instructing the client to argue with the voices can increase the client’s distress and is not a recommended therapeutic approach. Instead, the nurse should help the client find ways to cope with and manage the hallucinations.

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A nurse in a mental health clinic is attempting to develop a therapeutic relationship with a client. Which of the following should be the appropriate action by the nurse?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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