A nurse is discussing factors that influence communication with a group of newly licensed nurses. Which of the following information should the nurse include? 

A. Offering approval or disapproval can create a judgmental atmosphere, potentially making clients feel defensive or unsupported. Therapeutic communication should focus on understanding and empathizing with the client rather than evaluating their feelings or actions.
B. This technique can be problematic in therapeutic communication. Asking clients to explain their feelings or behaviors may come off as interrogative or dismissive, which can hinder open dialogue. It’s often more effective to explore the client’s feelings without requiring justification.
C. While offering sympathy may seem caring, it can shift the focus from the client’s feelings to the nurse's emotions. Sympathy often implies pity and can create a power imbalance, whereas therapeutic communication should aim for empathy—understanding and validating the client's experiences without imposing one's own feelings.
D. This is a key technique in therapeutic communication. Open-ended questions encourage clients to express themselves freely, providing more information and facilitating deeper conversations. They invite exploration and help build rapport, making clients feel heard and understood.

A. Social determinants of health refer to the social and economic conditions that influence health outcomes. This includes factors such as income, education, employment, social support, and access to healthcare. These conditions can significantly impact an individual's overall well-being and health status.
B. While ethnic background can influence health outcomes and access to resources, SDOH are broader and encompass various factors, including socioeconomic status, geographic location, and education level, rather than being solely determined by ethnicity. Therefore, this option oversimplifies the concept of SDOH.
C. Identifying and understanding SDOH is essential for addressing and reducing health disparities, not increasing them. By recognizing these determinants, healthcare providers and policymakers can develop targeted interventions and policies to improve health equity and access to care.
D. While psychological factors, such as mental health and stress, can influence health outcomes, they are not typically categorized under the traditional definition of social determinants of health. SDOH primarily focus on social, economic, and environmental conditions rather than individual psychological factors. However, mental health can be affected by social determinants.