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

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Offering self involves making oneself available to the patient, fostering trust through presence and empathy. Sitting with the patient to facilitate comfort aligns with therapeutic communication, creating a safe space for dialogue, critical in psychiatric nursing, making this the correct choice.

Choice B reason: Sharing the nurse’s personal experiences shifts focus from the patient, risking boundary violations. This is non-therapeutic, as it does not prioritize the patient’s needs or foster their openness, failing to demonstrate the "offering self" technique, making this choice incorrect.

Choice C reason: Asking why the patient struggled with adjustment is a probing question that may feel confrontational. It does not convey availability or empathy, key to "offering self," but instead seeks explanation, potentially hindering trust, making this choice non-therapeutic and incorrect.

Choice D reason: Discussing the treatment plan focuses on clinical tasks, not emotional availability. While collaborative, it does not specifically demonstrate "offering self," which emphasizes presence and support to build trust, making this choice less aligned with the therapeutic technique described.

A. A patient that fraudulently files for bankruptcy B. A patient that threatens harm to self and others C. A patient involved in selling and distributing illegal drugs D. A patient noncompliant with their treatment regimen

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Fraudulent bankruptcy is a legal or ethical violation, not a psychiatric emergency. Involuntary hospitalization requires evidence of imminent danger to self or others due to a mental disorder. This behavior, while illegal, does not inherently indicate a mental health crisis necessitating forced psychiatric intervention, making this choice incorrect.

Choice B reason: Threatening harm to self and others meets legal and clinical criteria for involuntary hospitalization, as it indicates imminent danger due to a psychiatric condition. Mental health laws, such as the Baker Act, prioritize safety when a patient’s mental state poses significant risk, making this the correct choice for forced admission.

Choice C reason: Selling and distributing illegal drugs is a criminal act, not necessarily linked to a mental health crisis requiring involuntary hospitalization. While substance use disorders may involve psychiatric issues, this behavior alone does not demonstrate imminent danger due to mental illness, making it inappropriate for forced treatment.

Choice D reason: Noncompliance with treatment, while concerning, does not inherently indicate imminent danger or severe mental instability requiring involuntary hospitalization. It may reflect patient autonomy or other factors, not acute psychiatric risk. This choice fails to meet the legal or clinical threshold for forced admission, making it incorrect.

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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

A nurse is assessing a newly hospitalized patient. Select the best example of the communication technique of "offering self."

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Which patient meets criteria for involuntary hospitalization for psychiatric treatment?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Which individual is demonstrating the highest level of resilience?

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

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

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

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

Hildegard Peplau came up with the phases of the nurse-patient relationship. What does the nurse address during the orientation phase with a patient diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder?

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?