Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardMental Health Concepts

A young adult client with a recent diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is looking in the mirror at a prominent facial rash. The client begins to cry and states to the practical nurse (PN), 'I look completely hideous. Nobody is ever going to want to be seen in public with me again.' Which response by the PN is most therapeutic?

  1. It sounds like you are feeling very self-conscious and worried about how others will react to your appearance.Answer
  2. B
    The facial rash is a common symptom of a flare-up; it will likely fade away once your new medications start working.
  3. C
    Why do you believe that your friends and family will judge you based solely on a temporary skin condition?
  4. D
    You are experiencing the expected anger stage of grief regarding your diagnosis, which you must go through before reaching acceptance.

Answer

The response that reflects the client's feelings and acknowledges their worry about social rejection.
The correct response utilizes the therapeutic techniques of reflection and empathy. By stating, 'It sounds like you are feeling...', the practical nurse acknowledges the client's immediate emotional distress and validates their specific fear of social rejection. This open, non-judgmental approach does not minimize the client's pain or jump prematurely to problem-solving, thereby opening the door for further exploration of their psychosocial concerns.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the client's statement and physical behavior.
The client is crying and expressing severe distress over altered body image and potential social isolation.
Identifying the core psychological issue (body image disturbance and fear of rejection) is necessary to formulate a therapeutic response.
2
Evaluate each option against principles of therapeutic communication.
Identify which options use communication blocks (e.g., minimizing, probing, rationalizing) versus therapeutic techniques (e.g., active listening, reflection, empathy).
The PN must avoid responses that shut down communication or invalidate the client's current emotional state.
3
Select the response that best facilitates continued expression of feelings.
The reflective statement acknowledges the client's specific fears without judgment or premature problem-solving.
Empathy and reflection are the most effective ways to establish trust and help the client process acute psychosocial distress.

Key Concept

Therapeutic Communication: Body Image Alterations
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Mental Health Concepts

More questions from this topic