Substance Abuse and Abuse Q 62
Which of these statements by the nurse reflects the best use of therapeutic interaction techniques?
A. "You look upset. Would you like to talk about it?"
B. "I’d like to know more about your family. Tell me about them."
C. "I understand that you lost your partner. I don’t think I could go on if that happened to me."
D. "You look very sad. How long have you been this way?"
Correct Answer: A. “You look upset. Would you like to talk about it?”
Giving broad opening statements and making observations are examples of therapeutic communication. The other options are too specific or focused on being therapeutic. Therapeutic communication is often most effective when patients direct the flow of conversation and decide what to talk about. To that end, giving patients a broad opening such as “What’s on your mind today?” or “What would you like to talk about?” can be a good way to allow patients an opportunity to discuss what’s on their mind.
Option B: Observations about the appearance, demeanor, or behavior of patients can help draw attention to areas that might pose a problem for them. Observing that they look tired may prompt patients to explain why they haven’t been getting much sleep lately; making an observation that they haven’t been eating much may lead to the discovery of a new symptom.
Option C: Nurses provide patients with support and information while maintaining a level of professional distance and objectivity. With therapeutic communication, nurses often use open-ended statements and questions, repeat information, or use silence to prompt patients to work through problems on their own.
Option D: Sometimes during a conversation, patients mention something particularly important. When this happens, nurses can focus on their statement, prompting patients to discuss it further. Patients don’t always have an objective perspective on what is relevant to their case; as impartial observers, nurses can more easily pick out the topics to focus on.