ATI LPN
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach to Evidence-Based Care, 4e 4th Edition
Chapter 8 Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient says to the nurse, 'I dreamed I was stoned. When I woke up, I felt emotionally drained, as though I hadn't rested well.' Which comment would be appropriate if the nurse seeks clarification?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The technique of clarification is therapeutic and helps the nurse examine the meaning of the patient's statement. Asking for a definition of 'stoned' directly asks for clarification. Restating that the patient is uncomfortable with the dream's content is parroting, a nontherapeutic technique. The other responses fail to clarify the meaning of the patient's comment.
Question 2 of 5
A patient diagnosed with schizophrenia tells the nurse, 'The CIA is monitoring us through the fluorescent lights in this room. Be careful what you say.' Which response by the nurse would be most therapeutic?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: It is important not to challenge the patient's beliefs, even if they are unrealistic. Challenging undermines the patient's trust in the nurse. The nurse should try to understand the underlying feelings or thoughts the patient's message conveys. The correct response uses the therapeutic technique of reflection. The other comments are nontherapeutic. Asking to talk about something other than the concern at hand is changing the subject. Saying that the CIA is prohibited from operating in health care facilities gives false reassurance. Stating that the patient has lost touch with reality is truthful but uncompassionate.
Question 3 of 5
The patient says, 'My marriage is just great. My spouse and I usually agree on everything.' The nurse observes the patient's foot moving continuously as the patient twirls a shirt button. What type of communication is the patient presenting?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mixed messages involve the transmission of conflicting or incongruent messages by the speaker. The patient's verbal message that all is well in the relationship is modified by the nonverbal behaviors denoting anxiety. Data are not present to support the choice of the verbal message being clear, explicit, or inadequate.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse interacts with a newly hospitalized patient. Which nursing statement reflects the communication technique of 'offering self'?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Offering self' is a technique that should be used in the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship. Sitting with the patient, an example of 'offering self,' helps build trust and conveys that the nurse cares about the patient. Two incorrect responses are ineffective and nontherapeutic. The other incorrect response is therapeutic but an example of 'offering hope.'
Question 5 of 5
Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in listening?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Restating allows the patient to validate the nurse's understanding of what has been communicated. Restating is an active listening technique. Judgments should be suspended in a nurse-patient relationship. Closed-ended questions such as 'Did you feel angry?' ask for specific information rather than show understanding. When the nurse simply states that he or she understands the patient's words, the patient has no way of measuring the understanding.