Nursing practice questions with comprehensive rationales
NurseDive Free Nursing Practice Question
A nurse is caring for a client who has just received a terminal cancer diagnosis from his provider. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Change the subject when the client becomes upset.
Changing the subject when the client becomes upset may prevent the client from expressing their feelings and could hinder their emotional processing. This is not a recommended approach as it may lead to unresolved grief and emotional distress.
B. Allow the client unlimited time for the grieving process.
Allowing the client unlimited time for the grieving process aligns with the principles of palliative care, which focuses on enhancing a patient's quality of life and providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness. It's important to give the client the time and space they need to process their emotions.
C. Discourage the client from forming new relationships.
Discouraging the client from forming new relationships could lead to social isolation and negatively impact their emotional well-being. It's important for the client to have a support system during this difficult time.
D. Offer the client advice about various treatment choices.
Offering advice about various treatment choices is not the nurse's role. The nurse should provide information and support, but the decision-making should be patient-centered. It's important to respect the client's autonomy and decisions regarding their care.
This question is an excerpt from Nurse Dive's nursing test bank - RN Mental Health 2019 With NGN Proctored Exam. Take the full exam now
Full Explanation
The correct answer is B. Allow the client unlimited time for the grieving process.
Choice A reason:
Changing the subject when the client becomes upset may prevent the client from expressing their feelings and could hinder their emotional processing. This is not a recommended approach as it may lead to unresolved grief and emotional distress.
Choice B reason:
Allowing the client unlimited time for the grieving process aligns with the principles of palliative care, which focuses on enhancing a patient's quality of life and providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness. It's important to give the client the time and space they need to process their emotions.
Choice C reason:
Discouraging the client from forming new relationships could lead to social isolation and negatively impact their emotional well-being. It's important for the client to have a support system during this difficult time.
Choice D reason:
Offering advice about various treatment choices is not the nurse's role. The nurse should provide information and support, but the decision-making should be patient-centered. It's important to respect the client's autonomy and decisions regarding their care.
Similar Questions
A nurse is assessing a client who recently experienced the loss of their partner. Which of the following questions is the priority for the nurse to ask during this situational crisis?
A. "Who do you talk to when you need help?"
B. "Are you having thoughts about harming yourself?"
The priority for the nurse is to assess the client's safety and risk of self-harm or suicide, which may increase during a situational crisis. The other questions are also important to explore, but they are not as urgent as assessing for suicidal ideation or intent.
C. "What do you usually do to cope with problems in your life?"
D. "How do you think this event is affecting your life right now?"
Full Explanation
The priority for the nurse is to assess the client's safety and risk of self-harm or suicide, which may increase during a situational crisis. The other questions are also important to explore, but they are not as urgent as assessing for suicidal ideation or intent.
A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia. The client's employer calls to discuss the client's condition. Which of the following is the appropriate nursing action?
A. Contact the facility legal department.
B. Consult the client.
The nurse should respect the client's privacy and confidentiality and obtain their consent before disclosing any information to their employer or anyone else who is not directly involved in their care. Contacting the legal department, the provider, or the client's family may be appropriate in some situations, but they are not necessary or ethical actions without the client's permission.
C. Contact the provider.
D. Consult the client's family.
Full Explanation
The nurse should respect the client's privacy and confidentiality and obtain their consent before disclosing any information to their employer or anyone else who is not directly involved in their care. Contacting the legal department, the provider, or the client's family may be appropriate in some situations, but they are not necessary or ethical actions without the client's permission.
A nurse is caring for a client who has depression following a recent job loss. Which of the following questions should the nurse ask to assess the client's personal coping skills?
A. "How does this situation affect your life?"
B. "Can you describe how you are currently feeling?"
C. "How have you dealt with similar situations in the past?"
This question helps the nurse to evaluate the client's personal coping skills and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Asking about the impact of the situation, the current feelings, or the future outlook are not directly related to coping skills, although they might provide some useful information.
D. "Do you see your current situation affecting your future?"
Full Explanation
This question helps the nurse to evaluate the client's personal coping skills and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Asking about the impact of the situation, the current feelings, or the future outlook are not directly related to coping skills, although they might provide some useful information.
