A client states to the nurse in a hostile voice, “I am sick of being p

QUESTION

A client states to the nurse in a hostile voice, “I am sick of being poked at and stuck with needles. Go away and leave me alone.” Which of the following is the best statement by the nurse?

a. “I am not surprised that you wish to be left alone.”
b. “I’m so sorry you are feeling so upset.”
c. “You feel vulnerable and depressed as a result of all these treatments.”
d. “Okay, I will go away.”

ANSWER:

ANS: B
Validating the anger and reframing are useful. Comments such as, “I’m sorry you are feeling so upset,” recognize the significance of the emotion being expressed without getting into the cause. “I am not surprised that you wish to be left alone” validates the client’s anger, but does not reframe the situation. The nurse should not make inferences about what the client is feeling without first validating. “Okay, I will go away” is avoidant behavior by the nurse.