Therapeutic Comm Q 39
A mother rescues two of her four children from a house fire. In the emergency department, she cries, “I should have gone back in to get them. I should have died, not them.” What is the nurse’s best response?
A. "The smoke was too thick. You couldn't have gone back in."
B. "You're feeling guilty because you weren't able to save your children."
C. "Focus on the fact that you could have lost all four of your children."
D. "It's best if you try not to think about what happened. Try to move on."
Correct Answer: B. “You’re feeling guilty because you weren’t able to save your children.”
The best response by the nurse is, “You’re experiencing feelings of guilt because you weren’t able to save your children.” This response utilizes the therapeutic communication technique of reflection which identifies a client’s emotional response and reflects these feelings back to the client so that they may be recognized and accepted.
Option A: Denouncing the client’s ideas or behaviors is nontherapeutic. Disapproval implies that the nurse has a right to pass judgement on the client’s actions. It further implies that the client is expected to please the nurse.
Option C: Attempts to dispel the client’s anxiety by implying that there is not sufficient reason for concern completely devalue the client’s feelings. Vague reassurances without accompanying facts are meaningless to the client.
Option D: Advising is non-therapeutic for the client. The nurse should not tell the client what to do; giving an opinion or making decisions for the client is inappropriate. It implies that the client cannot handle life decisions and only the nurse knows what is best for the client.