Anxiety Disorders and Stress Q 35
What would be the best response to the client’s repeated complaints of pain:
A. “I know the feeling is real tests revealed negative results.”
B. “I think you’re exaggerating things a little bit.”
C. “Try to forget this feeling and have activities to take it off your mind.”
D. “So tell me more about the pain.”
Correct Answer: A. “I know the feeling is real tests revealed negative results.”
Shows empathy and offers information. Provide accommodation for the client and make them more comfortable (ie., pillows, temperature, positioning, etc.) This can help the client feel accepted and develop rapport and trust. This can allow the client to feel more comfortable and express their feelings and emotions more readily to the healthcare team.
Option B: This is a demeaning statement. Encourage behavior modification such as praising the client and offering more attention when symptoms improve. Change the focus from what’s wrong to what’s right. Helps the client feel accomplished and more positive about improvements in health condition instead of focusing on the symptoms.
Option C: This belittles the client’s feelings. Provide education about fears or actual medical conditions. Helps the client understand the condition in a more realistic light and helps alleviate fear and anxiety about a particular health concern.
Option D: Giving undue attention to the physical symptom reinforces the complaint. Discuss symptoms with the client and when they began, what makes them better or worse and how they have been managing these symptoms. This helps make a more definitive diagnosis and helps determine how to best treat the client. Helping the client determine the etiology of symptoms helps them to recognize and avoid situations that make symptoms worse.