The husband of a client who has a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube states to the nurse, “I thought having this tube down her nose the first time would convince my wife to quit drinking.” The nurse should make which response to the client’s husband? Select one answer

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 problem is not suspected, but rather the client has a desire to improve or maintain a level of health. A wellness nursing diagnosis describes a potential or actual health state that can be enhanced.

Choice B reason: This is incorrect because it shows that the problem is not suspected, but rather the client has a cluster of related problems that are associated with a specific situation or event. A syndrome nursing diagnosis describes a patern of responses that are linked by a common cause.

Choice C reason: This is correct because it shows that the problem is suspected, but lacks enough data to support it. A ‘risk for’ nursing diagnosis describes a potential problem that may occur if certain risk factors are present.

Choice D reason: This is incorrect because it shows that the problem is not suspected, but rather the client has signs and symptoms that indicate an actual health issue. An actual nursing diagnosis describes a current problem that has been validated by data.