Therapeutic and nontherapeutic responses
Question
A nurse is caring for clients on a behavioral health unit. For each exchange, indicate whether the nurse's response is therapeutic or nontherapeutic.
| Row | Therapeutic | Nontherapeutic |
|---|---|---|
| Client: “The staff pay no attention to me.” Nurse: “You feel the staff are ignoring you?” | ✓ Correct | Not correct |
| Client: “I do not want to go to group today.” Nurse: “You should go; it is the best thing for you.” | Not correct | ✓ Correct |
| Client: “Nobody ever checks on me.” Nurse: “That is not true; I was in your room twice this morning.” | Not correct | ✓ Correct |
| A client sits silently after describing a loss. The nurse stays at the bedside, nods, and says nothing for a minute. | ✓ Correct | Not correct |
| Client: “I yelled at my roommate.” Nurse: “Why did you do that?” | Not correct | ✓ Correct |
Answer
Client: “The staff pay no attention to me.” Nurse: “You feel the staff are ignoring you?”: Therapeutic · Client: “I do not want to go to group today.” Nurse: “You should go; it is the best thing for you.”: Nontherapeutic · Client: “Nobody ever checks on me.” Nurse: “That is not true; I was in your room twice this morning.”: Nontherapeutic · A client sits silently after describing a loss. The nurse stays at the bedside, nods, and says nothing for a minute.: Therapeutic · Client: “I yelled at my roommate.” Nurse: “Why did you do that?”: Nontherapeutic
Rationale
Restating the client's words and providing silence are therapeutic techniques that encourage the client to elaborate and reflect. Statements built on “should” are judgmental, arguing denies the client's perception, and “why” questions can sound accusing, so all three block communication.
Sources
Sources marked “Adapted from” are licensed under CC BY 4.0. We changed the material: its facts are rewritten into an original question, answer options and rationale. The original authors and publishers do not endorse SwipeExam.
- Adapted from Open RN Nursing: Mental Health and Community Concepts, 2nd edition: THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION AND THE NURSE-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
- Adapted from Open RN Nursing Assistant: Chapter 1: Communicate Professionally Within a Health Care Setting
- Adapted from Open RN Nursing Health Promotion: HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
- Adapted from Open RN Nursing: Mental Health and Community Concepts, 2nd edition: DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS
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