A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is experiencing preterm contractions and dehydration. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

Choice A reason: Removing restraints immediately risks safety, as the client’s calm state may not be sustained. Restraints require gradual removal after ensuring sustained behavioral stability, per facility policy and safety standards. Frequent monitoring is needed to assess ongoing safety, making this action premature and potentially unsafe.
Choice B reason: Encouraging group therapy is inappropriate while the client remains in restraints, as it does not address the immediate need to evaluate their behavior for safe restraint removal. Therapy may be beneficial later, but ongoing monitoring is the priority to ensure safety and compliance with restraint protocols.
Choice C reason: Continuing to monitor the client every 15 minutes ensures safety while assessing sustained calm and cooperative behavior. This adheres to restraint protocols, which require frequent checks to evaluate the need for continued restraint, prevent complications, and plan for safe removal, making it the correct action.
Choice D reason: Administering a sedative to maintain calm behavior is inappropriate without a current medical order or ongoing aggression. Sedatives carry risks like oversedation or respiratory depression. Monitoring the client’s behavior is the priority to determine if restraints can be safely discontinued, making this action unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Choice A reason: Encouraging open communication fosters dialogue, allowing nurses to resolve conflicts directly. This reduces tension and improves teamwork by addressing interpersonal issues, aligning with psychological principles of conflict resolution. Effective communication mitigates misunderstandings, enhancing collaboration in high-stress healthcare environments.
Choice B reason: Assigning an external mediator may help but is premature without trying internal resolution. Encouraging team dialogue leverages existing relationships, fostering cohesion. External mediators may not address unit-specific dynamics, making internal communication a more effective first step in resolving nurse conflicts.
Choice C reason: Mandatory team-building exercises may improve morale but do not directly resolve specific conflicts. Forcing participation can increase resentment if issues persist. Communication-based strategies target root causes, making them more effective for conflict resolution in healthcare teams compared to generic team-building.
Choice D reason: Reassigning nurses to different shifts avoids conflict but disrupts workflow and patient care continuity. It fails to address underlying issues, allowing tensions to persist. Communication-focused approaches promote resolution, maintaining team integrity and collaboration in healthcare settings, unlike reassignment.