A nurse is reinforcing teaching about a low-sodium diet with a client who has hypertension. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the instructions?

A. Encouraging the client to write about her feelings in a journal each day.: While journaling can be therapeutic, it may not be the best immediate intervention. The client may first need support and validation of her feelings before engaging in such an activity.

B. Demonstrating a nonjudgmental attitude toward the client when providing care for her surgical wounds.: This is important for maintaining therapeutic communication, but it does not address the emotional distress the client is currently experiencing.

C. Identifying the client's perception of the changes in her physical appearance.: The client is likely struggling with body image changes following a bilateral mastectomy. The priority should be to assess the client’s emotional response to her altered appearance and to offer emotional support. This provides the foundation for helping the client process her feelings.

D. Providing the client with information on community resources that will strengthen her coping skills.: While community resources can be helpful later on, the immediate priority is understanding the client’s emotional response to her surgery. Once the nurse has established the client's emotional needs, then providing resources may be more appropriate.

A. "I'm going to contact your family so they can be with you.": While involving family is important, the nurse should first provide emotional support to the client. It may feel abrupt to the client if the nurse immediately redirects the focus to others without acknowledging the client's current emotional state.

B. "I will stay with you for a while.": This is correct. Offering presence and emotional support by staying with the client is an appropriate response. It shows empathy and provides the client with comfort in a time of emotional distress.

C. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this.": This is less supportive. While it acknowledges the difficulty of the situation, it could unintentionally invalidate the client’s feelings by focusing on the nurse’s perspective rather than the client's experience.

D. "When you feel better, we'll talk about your treatment options.": This is not an appropriate response. It minimizes the client’s current emotional needs and may make the client feel that their feelings are not being prioritized. The focus should be on emotional support first.