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Difficulty: MediumTherapeutic Communication

Nurses use distinct communication strategies tailored to a client's immediate emotional state. Connect each observed client situation with the nursing response that best demonstrates an appropriate therapeutic approach.

  • A client with a new amputation states, 'I refuse to look at the surgical site. My life is completely ruined.'"You are feeling overwhelmed and devastated by the changes to your body."
  • A preoperative client paces rapidly and states, 'What if the anesthesia fails? I am terrified of waking up during the procedure.'"Tell me more about the specific fears you have regarding the anesthesia."
  • A hospitalized client yells, 'This place is terrible! I pressed the call button twenty minutes ago and nobody came!'"You are frustrated because you feel your requests for assistance are being ignored."
  • A client who received a terminal diagnosis earlier today sits silently in a dark room, avoiding eye contact with staff."I have some free time right now, so I will just pull up a chair and sit with you for a while."

Answer

The amputation client experiencing grief matches with the reflective response ('You are feeling overwhelmed...'). The anxious preoperative client matches with the exploring response ('Tell me more...'). The angry client matches with the restating/validating response ('You are frustrated...'). The silent, terminally ill client matches with the offering self response ('I will just pull up a chair...').
Each correct pairing matches a specific therapeutic communication technique to the client's psychosocial need. Reflection is used for acute grief, exploring is used for verbalized anxiety, restating is used to de-escalate anger by showing the client they were heard, and offering self is used to support withdrawn clients in shock.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the emotional state of the client with the amputation.
The client is expressing deep grief and body image disturbance.
Identifying the primary emotion dictates that a reflective response is needed to validate their devastation.
2
Assess the preoperative client's presentation.
The client is actively verbalizing specific anxiety about anesthesia failure.
Anxious clients with specific fears benefit most from exploratory questions that allow them to expand on their concerns.
3
Evaluate the hospitalized client's outburst.
The client is expressing acute anger over a perceived delay in care.
Angry clients require immediate validation and restatement of their complaint to de-escalate the situation, rather than defensive explanations.
4
Determine the needs of the newly diagnosed terminal client.
The client is withdrawn, in shock, and non-verbal.
Clients in acute, silent shock benefit most from 'offering self'—the therapeutic use of quiet presence to show support.

Key Concept

Therapeutic Communication Techniques
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Topics

Therapeutic Communication

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