A Practical Nurse (PN) is planning on leaving the room of a patient with a tracheotomy. The PN ensures that the client has which of the following means of communication before leaving the room?

Choice A reason: Providing open-ended questions and silence is a communication technique that can encourage the client to eat dinner. Open-ended questions can invite the client to share their thoughts and feelings about food and eating, and can help the nurse to explore the client’s perception of reality and identify any distorted thinking. Silence can give the client time to process and respond, and can show respect and acceptance. Therefore, this choice is correct.

Choice B reason: Focusing on self-disclosure of own food preferences is not a communication technique that can encourage the client to eat dinner. Self-disclosure can be appropriate in some situations, but it should be used sparingly and only when it benefits the client. Focusing on the nurse’s own food preferences can be irrelevant, distracting, or imposing, and it can shift the atention away from the client’s needs and concerns. Therefore, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C reason: Atempting to show empathy by suggesting reasons why the client may not want to eat is not a communication technique that can encourage the client to eat dinner. Empathy is a valuable skill, but it should be based on understanding and reflecting the client’s feelings, not on assuming or guessing them. Suggesting reasons why the client may not want to eat can be inaccurate, patronizing, or discouraging, and it can reinforce the client’s resistance or mistrust. Therefore, this choice is incorrect.

Choice D reason: Telling the client of the importance of eating is not a communication technique that can encourage the client to eat dinner. Telling or lecturing the client can be perceived as authoritative, judgmental, or condescending, and it can increase the client’s defensiveness or anxiety. It can also ignore the client’s perspective or experience, and fail to address the underlying causes of their disordered thinking. Therefore, this choice is incorrect.

Choice A reason: This is incorrect because it shows that the PN is not using a technique that encourages the client to express feelings and thoughts. A closed inquiry is a question that can be answered with a yes or no, or a short factual response.

Choice B reason: This is correct because it shows that the PN is using a technique that encourages the client to express feelings and thoughts. An open-ended question is a question that requires more than a yes or no, or a short factual response and invites the client to elaborate.

Choice C reason: This is incorrect because it shows that the PN is not using a technique that involves asking a question. Minimal encouraging is a verbal or nonverbal response that shows interest and attention and prompts the client to continue talking.

Choice D reason: This is incorrect because it shows that the PN is not using a technique that involves asking a question. A restating is a verbal response that repeats the main idea or keywords of the client’s message and confirms understanding.