A patient asks, "What are neurotransmitters? My doctor said mine are imbalanced." Select the nurse’s best response.

How do you feel about having imbalanced neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help your brain communicate; an imbalance can affect mood and behavior

Let’s focus on your medication to fix the imbalance

Your doctor can explain that better than I can

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason: Asking about feelings explores emotions but does not address the patient’s question about neurotransmitters. Educational queries require informative responses to enhance understanding, not redirection to feelings, making this choice non-therapeutic and incorrect for the patient’s need.

Choice B reason: Explaining neurotransmitters as brain communication chemicals directly addresses the patient’s question. It provides clear, accurate information about their role in mood and behavior, aligning with patient education principles in psychiatric nursing, making this the correct, informative response.

Choice C reason: Focusing on medication avoids explaining neurotransmitters, failing to address the patient’s educational need. It shifts focus prematurely to treatment, which may confuse the patient, making this response less effective and incorrect for providing the requested information.

Choice D reason: Deferring to the doctor dismisses the nurse’s role in patient education, undermining trust. Nurses are equipped to explain basic concepts like neurotransmitters, and this response fails to meet the patient’s need for understanding, making it non-therapeutic and incorrect.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Focusing on the nurse’s experiences shifts attention from the patient, undermining therapeutic communication. This violates psychiatric nursing principles, which prioritize patient-centered dialogue to build trust and explore feelings, making this a non-therapeutic technique that disrupts effective mental health care.

Choice B reason: Making value judgments imposes the nurse’s beliefs on the patient, creating a judgmental environment. This hinders open communication, fosters defensiveness, and undermines trust, contrary to therapeutic communication goals in mental health nursing, making this a correct choice for non-therapeutic behavior.

Choice C reason: Giving advice assumes the nurse knows best, disempowering the patient and limiting self-exploration. Therapeutic communication encourages patients to find their own solutions, making advice-giving non-therapeutic, as it disrupts autonomy and trust, correctly identifying this as a non-therapeutic technique.

Choice D reason: Active listening, involving empathy and nonverbal cues, is a cornerstone of therapeutic communication. It fosters trust and validates patient feelings, essential in mental health care. This technique enhances therapeutic relationships, making it incorrect as a non-therapeutic communication example.

A. Asking a direct question, such as "Did you feel angry?" B. Asking the patient, "Why did you do that?" C. Maintaining eye contact and nodding D. Offering advice based on personal experience

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Direct questions like "Did you feel angry?" may elicit specific information but can feel confrontational, limiting open dialogue. They focus on the nurse’s agenda rather than signaling attentive listening, which is critical for therapeutic communication in mental health, making this choice less effective.

Choice B reason: Asking "Why did you do that?" can seem judgmental, causing defensiveness and hindering open communication. It shifts focus to justification rather than fostering a safe space for the patient to share feelings, making it non-therapeutic and incorrect for showing listening interest.

Choice C reason: Maintaining eye contact and nodding are nonverbal cues that demonstrate active listening and empathy, encouraging patients to share openly. These align with therapeutic communication principles in psychiatric nursing, creating a supportive environment and fostering trust, making this the correct choice for showing interest.

Choice D reason: Offering advice based on personal experience shifts focus to the nurse, undermining the patient’s perspective. It risks blurring professional boundaries and is non-therapeutic, as it does not prioritize the patient’s feelings or encourage open dialogue, making this choice incorrect.

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A patient asks, "What are neurotransmitters? My doctor said mine are imbalanced." Select the nurse’s best response.

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Which of the following are examples of a nurse using non-therapeutic communication techniques? (Select all that apply)

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Which therapeutic technique best communicates to a patient that the nurse is interested in listening?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Which comments by a nurse demonstrate the use of therapeutic communication techniques? (Select all that apply)

A nurse is caring for a patient with bipolar disorder who is in a manic phase and refuses to attend a scheduled group therapy session. Which response by the nurse best promotes therapeutic engagement?

What must the nurse obtain from the patient in order for medical information to be released to another health care facility or third party regarding a patient diagnosed with a mental illness?

A nurse is working with a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who is experiencing auditory hallucinations. Which intervention best supports the patient in managing these symptoms?

A nurse is conducting a mental health assessment for a patient reporting persistent feelings of hopelessness. Which intervention best aligns with evidence-based practice for addressing this symptom?

Silence can be a helpful therapeutic tool for group participants by giving each an opportunity to contemplate what has transpired, weigh alternatives, and formulate ideas. Which statement best supports this?

An adolescent hospitalized after a physical outburst tells the nurse, "I’m going to kill my father, but you can’t tell anyone." Select the nurse’s best response.