The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a client on the behavioral health unit with depression and anxiety. Which goal of therapeutic communication will the nurse prioritize?

Implement interventions designed to address the client’s needs

Teach the client necessary self-care skills

Facilitate the client’s expression of emotions

Establish a therapeutic nurse-client relationship

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Implementing interventions addresses specific needs but is not the primary goal of therapeutic communication during admission. Interventions follow after building trust, as depression and anxiety require a strong therapeutic alliance to ensure effective treatment engagement, making this a secondary priority at this stage.

Choice B reason: Teaching self-care skills is important for long-term management but not the initial communication goal. Clients with depression and anxiety need trust and emotional safety first to engage in learning, making skill-building secondary to establishing a therapeutic relationship during the admission assessment.

Choice C reason: Facilitating emotional expression is a key component of therapeutic communication but depends on a trusting relationship. Without a strong nurse-client bond, clients with depression and anxiety may resist sharing emotions, making this goal important but secondary to establishing rapport during the initial assessment.

Choice D reason: Establishing a therapeutic nurse-client relationship is the priority during admission, as it builds trust and safety, critical for clients with depression and anxiety. This foundation enables emotional expression, engagement in interventions, and skill-building, ensuring effective communication and treatment adherence, making it the primary goal in this context.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: A 201 status indicates voluntary admission to a mental health facility, where the client can request discharge by signing a withdrawal form, typically with a 72-hour notice period. This matches the client’s statement, as voluntary patients retain control over their discharge, consistent with mental health laws.

Choice B reason: A 303 status involves extended involuntary commitment for ongoing treatment, typically after a court hearing. It does not allow self-initiated discharge by signing a form, as the client’s statement suggests, making this status incompatible with the described ability to request withdrawal.

Choice C reason: A 302 status is an involuntary commitment for imminent danger, requiring medical or legal approval for discharge, not a simple request form. The client’s ability to sign for withdrawal indicates voluntary status, making 302 incorrect for this scenario.

Choice D reason: A 301 status is not a standard term in mental health commitment laws (e.g., Pennsylvania’s Mental Health Procedures Act). The client’s ability to request discharge aligns with voluntary (201) status, not an undefined or involuntary category, making this option incorrect.

A. Defensive coping reaction B. The presence of countertransference C. The presence of transference D. Catastrophic reaction

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Defensive coping involves mechanisms like denial to manage stress, not personal emotional connections to a patient. The nurse’s sadness reflects personal feelings, not a defense against anxiety. This term does not apply to the nurse’s emotional response to the patient’s condition or perceived helplessness.

Choice B reason: Countertransference occurs when a nurse projects personal feelings, like sadness, onto a patient due to similarities with personal experiences (e.g., grandparents). This emotional response can influence care if not managed, as it stems from the nurse’s unresolved feelings, making it the accurate description of the situation.

Choice C reason: Transference involves the patient projecting feelings onto the nurse, not the nurse’s emotions about the patient. The scenario describes the nurse’s feelings, not the patient’s, making transference inapplicable. The nurse’s sadness reflects personal emotional involvement, not a patient-driven dynamic.

Choice D reason: Catastrophic reaction refers to a patient’s exaggerated emotional response to stress, often in dementia, not the nurse’s feelings. The nurse’s sadness is a personal emotional reaction, not a patient behavior, making this term irrelevant to the described situation of the nurse’s emotional reflection.

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The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a client on the behavioral health unit with depression and anxiety. Which goal of therapeutic communication will the nurse prioritize?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The client states, “I understand that in order to leave, I must sign a request to withdraw from treatment.” What is the client’s legal status?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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