A nurse is observing an assistive personnel (AP) take a client's tympanic temperature.
Which of the following actions should the nurse identify as an indication that the AP understands how to perform the procedure?

The correct answer is: a. Displacement.

Choice A Reason: Displacement is a defense mechanism where a person redirects a negative emotion from its original source to a less threatening recipient. In the context of bipolar disorder, a client may displace anger or frustration about their condition or treatment onto the nurse, who is not the source of these feelings. This redirection can occur because the client might feel powerless or uncomfortable expressing these emotions towards their healthcare provider, who is the authority figure prescribing medication changes.

Choice B Reason: Splitting is often associated with borderline personality disorder rather than bipolar disorder. It involves viewing things in extremes—either all good or all bad—with no middle ground. While individuals with bipolar disorder can exhibit black-and-white thinking, especially during mood episodes, the behavior described does not indicate splitting, as it does not involve idealizing or devaluing the nurse or provider.

Choice C Reason: Sublimation is a mature defense mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are unconsciously transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior, often resulting in a long-term conversion of the initial impulse. For example, a person with aggressive tendencies might take up a sport that channels aggression in a socially acceptable way. The scenario provided does not suggest that the client is channeling their frustrations into a constructive activity.

Choice D Reason: Conversion involves the transfer of mental stress into physical symptoms. This defense mechanism is characteristic of conversion disorder, where psychological stress manifests as neurological symptoms like blindness, paralysis, or other sensory or motor symptoms without a medical cause. The client yelling at the nurse does not reflect a conversion of emotional distress into physical symptoms.

Choice A rationale: Countertransference is not the appropriate concept in this scenario. Countertransference refers to the nurse's emotional response to the client, which may be based on the nurse's unresolved issues and can negatively affect the therapeutic relationship. In this case, the nurse's actions are not driven by unresolved issues but by a desire to meet the client's basic needs.

Choice B rationale: Promoting trust is the most suitable explanation for the nurse's actions. By interrupting the bath and providing a healthy meal to a newly admitted client who hasn't eaten all day, the nurse is demonstrating empathy, compassion, and a commitment to meeting the client's physiological needs. This action helps build trust between the nurse and the client, as the client can see that their well-being is a priority.

Choice C rationale: Boundary crossing refers to actions that may blur or violate professional boundaries between a nurse and a client. While the nurse is going beyond the routine bath to provide a meal, this action is justified by the client's immediate need and doesn't constitute an inappropriate boundary crossing. The nurse is still maintaining professionalism in caring for the client.

Choice D rationale: Veracity is the principle of truth-telling and honesty in healthcare. It doesn't directly apply to this situation since the nurse's actions are not about providing information or disclosing something to the client. Instead, the nurse's primary concern is the client's nutritional well-being.