Supporting a client by holding onto her elbow while accompanying her a

Supporting a client by holding onto her elbow while accompanying her as she ambulates around the nursing unit is considered social touching and so would typically:

1. Be considered nonthreatening by the client
2. Not require the client’s permission
3. Be viewed as therapeutic by the nurse
4. Not be needed unless the client was ataxic

ANSWER

ANS: 2
A person’s hands, arms, shoulders, and back are considered social zones and typically do not cause a client emotional discomfort if touched, and so permission to do so is not generally re-quired. Nurses frequently move into clients’ personal space because of the nature of caregiving. You need to convey confidence, gentleness, and respect for privacy, especially when your ac-tions require intimate contact or involve a client’s vulnerable zone. The remaining options do not necessarily deal with a client’s social touching zone.