During an interview, a patient attempts to shift the focus from self to the nurse by asking personal questions. The nurse should respond by saying:

"The time we spend together is to discuss your concerns."

"Nurses direct the interviews with patients."

"Do not ask questions about my personal life."

"Why do you keep asking about me?"

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A reason: Redirecting the focus back to the patient in a therapeutic and nonjudgmental way ensures the conversation remains centered on the client’s needs. This maintains professional boundaries while being supportive.

Choice B reason: Stating that nurses direct interviews is authoritative and may come across as rigid. It does not encourage patient openness.

Choice C reason: Responding with a prohibition sounds harsh and judgmental. It could damage rapport and shut down communication.

Choice D reason: Asking "why" can make the patient feel defensive, which is not therapeutic. It shifts the focus to justification rather than reflection.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Nurses have a duty to protect potential victims from harm. Breaking confidentiality is justified to warn the intended victim and involve the healthcare team, consistent with the Tarasoff duty to warn principle.

Choice B reason: Warning the victim without involving the treatment team ignores the collaborative care process and may compromise safety planning.

Choice C reason: Waiting to act places the potential victim at risk and disregards the ethical duty to prevent harm.

Choice D reason: Maintaining confidentiality in this situation endangers others and violates the ethical principle of nonmaleficence.

A. Sympathy involves understanding and sharing the client’s feelings, while empathy is feeling sorry for them. B. Sympathy is feeling sorry for the client, while empathy is the ability to understand and communicate that understanding without judgment. C. Sympathy creates emotional distance, whereas empathy fosters a deeper emotional connection without losing objectivity. D. Sympathy and empathy are interchangeable terms that both involve feeling the client’s emotions deeply.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: This reverses the definitions of sympathy and empathy. Empathy is not about feeling sorry but about understanding and reflecting feelings.

Choice B reason: Sympathy is pity or sorrow for someone else’s suffering, while empathy means perceiving and validating the client’s experience without judgment, which is essential for therapeutic communication.

Choice C reason: Sympathy does not create emotional distance; instead, it often involves pity that can actually reduce meaningful connection. Empathy provides closeness while maintaining professional boundaries.

Choice D reason: Sympathy and empathy are not interchangeable. They differ in depth and therapeutic effectiveness, making this statement incorrect.

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During an interview, a patient attempts to shift the focus from self to the nurse by asking personal questions. The nurse should respond by saying:

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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Correct Answer is A

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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