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Question

Difficulty: EasyCoping Mechanisms

A practical nurse is caring for a client who has just been informed that their chronic respiratory condition has worsened. The client looks away, sighs deeply, and states, "I cannot handle hearing this right now. I just need to go for a walk." Which response by the nurse best supports the client's coping?

  1. Please take your time. I will return later when you feel ready to talk.Answer
  2. B
    It is normal to be upset, but we must review these health changes immediately.
  3. C
    Your condition will certainly improve once you start the new treatments.
  4. D
    What is the reason you feel the need to walk away from this discussion?

Answer

The correct response is to allow the client the requested time and space, confirming that the nurse will return later when the client is ready.
The correct answer directly supports the client's adaptive coping strategy. When a client receives difficult news, feeling overwhelmed is expected. Allowing the client to take a safe break to collect their thoughts validates their feelings and gives them agency, which builds trust.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the client's current behavioral response and stated needs.
The client is feeling overwhelmed by negative health news and has explicitly requested a brief walk to pause the conversation.
Recognizing the client's emotional state is the first step in providing patient-centered psychosocial care.
2
Determine if the client's chosen coping strategy is adaptive or maladaptive.
Taking a temporary break or 'time-out' to process difficult information is a safe and highly adaptive coping mechanism.
Nurses should reinforce and accommodate adaptive coping strategies whenever they do not compromise patient safety.
3
Evaluate the nursing response options for therapeutic communication principles.
Validating the client's need for space is therapeutic. Demanding immediate compliance, offering false reassurance, or probing for reasons are all non-therapeutic communication blocks.
Avoiding communication blocks ensures a trusting nurse-client relationship.

Key Concept

Reinforcing Adaptive Coping Strategies and Therapeutic Communication
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Topics

Coping Mechanisms

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