Which of the following are examples of a nurse using non-therapeutic communication techniques? (Select all that apply)
Focusing on the nurse rather than the client
Making value judgments
Giving advice
Using active listening
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: Focusing on the nurse’s experiences shifts attention from the patient, undermining therapeutic communication. This violates psychiatric nursing principles, which prioritize patient-centered dialogue to build trust and explore feelings, making this a non-therapeutic technique that disrupts effective mental health care.
Choice B reason: Making value judgments imposes the nurse’s beliefs on the patient, creating a judgmental environment. This hinders open communication, fosters defensiveness, and undermines trust, contrary to therapeutic communication goals in mental health nursing, making this a correct choice for non-therapeutic behavior.
Choice C reason: Giving advice assumes the nurse knows best, disempowering the patient and limiting self-exploration. Therapeutic communication encourages patients to find their own solutions, making advice-giving non-therapeutic, as it disrupts autonomy and trust, correctly identifying this as a non-therapeutic technique.
Choice D reason: Active listening, involving empathy and nonverbal cues, is a cornerstone of therapeutic communication. It fosters trust and validates patient feelings, essential in mental health care. This technique enhances therapeutic relationships, making it incorrect as a non-therapeutic communication example.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Mood stabilizers, like lithium, are used for bipolar disorder to regulate mood swings, not for acute anxiety. They target long-term mood stabilization, not immediate symptom relief, which is critical for post-traumatic anxiety, making this category inappropriate for the patient’s condition.
Choice B reason: Antidepressants, such as SSRIs, treat depression and chronic anxiety over weeks, not acute anxiety. Their delayed onset makes them unsuitable for immediate relief following a traumatic event like a car accident, where rapid symptom management is needed, making this choice incorrect.
Choice C reason: Antipsychotics treat psychosis or severe agitation, not primary anxiety. Their use in anxiety is off-label and typically reserved for cases unresponsive to anxiolytics, with higher side effect risks. This makes them inappropriate for acute anxiety management, rendering this choice incorrect.
Choice D reason: Anxiolytics, like benzodiazepines, provide rapid relief for acute anxiety by enhancing GABA activity, calming the central nervous system. They are the primary choice for short-term management of anxiety post-trauma, aligning with clinical guidelines, making this the correct medication category for patient teaching.
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.
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.
