A patient tells the nurse, "I don’t think I’ll ever get out of here." Select the nurse’s most therapeutic response.

Don’t speak that way. Of course, you will leave here!

Keep up the good work and you will leave soon

Everyone feels that way sometimes

It sounds as though you don’t think you’re making progress?

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Dismissing the patient’s feelings by saying they will leave is non-therapeutic, as it invalidates their emotions. Therapeutic communication requires empathy and exploration of feelings, not reassurance that may feel dismissive, as it fails to address the patient’s underlying concerns, making this choice incorrect.

Choice B reason: Encouraging effort with a promise of discharge is overly optimistic and may pressure the patient, ignoring their emotional state. Therapeutic responses focus on understanding feelings, not conditional reassurance, which can undermine trust in psychiatric care, making this response non-therapeutic and incorrect.

Choice C reason: Generalizing the patient’s feelings as common minimizes their unique experience, reducing therapeutic engagement. It fails to explore the patient’s specific concerns or foster a trusting nurse-patient relationship, which is critical in mental health care, making this response non-therapeutic and incorrect.

Choice D reason: Reflecting the patient’s statement by exploring perceived lack of progress demonstrates active listening and empathy, key to therapeutic communication. It encourages the patient to elaborate on feelings, fostering trust and insight, aligning with psychiatric nursing principles, making this the most therapeutic and correct

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

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.

A. Administering medications to reduce anxiety B. Challenging negative thought patterns C. Encouraging group therapy participation D. Teaching relaxation techniques

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Administering medications addresses symptoms pharmacologically but is not a core cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention. CBT focuses on modifying thoughts and behaviors, not drug therapy, making this choice incorrect for the specified theoretical approach.

Choice B reason: CBT targets negative thought patterns to modify maladaptive behaviors and emotions, central to treating anxiety. Challenging distorted cognitions helps the patient reframe perceptions, reducing withdrawal, aligning with CBT principles, making this the correct choice.

Choice C reason: Group therapy encourages social interaction but is not a primary CBT intervention. CBT focuses on individual cognitive restructuring, not group dynamics, making this choice less relevant for the specified theoretical approach to anxiety treatment.

Choice D reason: Relaxation techniques are adjunctive in CBT but not the primary focus. Challenging negative thoughts is the core intervention, directly addressing cognitive distortions driving anxiety, making relaxation a secondary approach and this choice incorrect.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

A patient tells the nurse, "I don’t think I’ll ever get out of here." Select the nurse’s most therapeutic response.

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

When using cognitive behavioral theory with an anxious, withdrawn patient, interventions should focus on which of the following?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

In which phase of group therapy should the nurse plan to first address termination?

Which comment indicates the patient perceived the nurse was caring?

A 52-year-old woman says to the nurse, "I should have accomplished more in life, what was I thinking?" Which psychosocial crisis is she experiencing?

A fearful patient has an increased heart rate and blood pressure. The nurse suspects increased activity of which neurotransmitter?

When considering the suggestions of Hildegard Peplau, which activity should the nurse regularly engage in that supports the theory of interpersonal relations?

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.

A nurse is caring for a group of clients in an acute mental health facility. Which of the following clients has the legal right to refuse treatment?

A nurse is caring for a patient with a mental health disorder. Which approach best supports therapeutic care?