The nurse’s first response in dealing with a conflict situation that i

QUESTION

The nurse’s first response in dealing with a conflict situation that involves a client is to

a. understand the context of the situation.
b. impose more controls on the client.
c. gain a clear understanding of one’s own personal response.
d. encourage the client to discount statements made by the nurse.

ANSWER:

ANS: C
Conflicts between nurse and client are not uncommon. The first step for the nurse is to gain a clear understanding of one’s own personal response. No one is equally effective in all situations. The second step is to understand the context of the situation. Most interpersonal conflicts involve some threat to one’s sense of control or self-esteem. Nurses have been shown to respond to the stress of not having enough time to complete their work by imposing more controls on the client, who then often reacts by becoming more difficult. Other situations, which may lead to conflict between the nurse and the client, include having statements discounted.