The student nurse is working on an assignment in which she has to inte

QUESTION

The student nurse is working on an assignment in which she has to interview a fellow student nurse for 30 minutes. The fellow student nurse talks about career plans, possible jobs after graduation, and her part-time work.

After 10 minutes, she has stopped talking and both student nurses sit in silence. Which of the following is the best response by the interviewing student nurse?

a. “Tell me more about how you selected your career goals.”
b. “Who is the most significant person in your life?”
c. “What impact will these plans have on your life?”
d. Remain silent until the fellow student nurse breaks the silence.

ANSWER:

ANS: C
An open-ended question is usually just the introduction, requiring further dialogue about relevant topics. Ending the dialogue with a general open-ended question such as, “Is there anything else that is concerning you right now?” can provide relevant information that might otherwise be overlooked. Asking a focused question allows the interviewer to obtain more specific information. “Who is the most significant person in your life” is a closed-ended question that is limiting. A silent pause can be helpful, but long silences can become uncomfortable.