Author Question: A nurse is interviewing a woman in the emergency department about injuries the nurse thinks might ... (Read 88 times)

cmoore54 · **on:** Jul 17, 2018

A nurse is interviewing a woman in the emergency department about injuries the nurse thinks might have been caused by domestic violence. The woman seems hesitant to discuss her injuries.

Which action by the nurse would most likely result in improved communication?
a. Ask the woman why she does not want to discuss the injuries.
b. Close the door and assure the woman of confidentiality.
c. Maintain eye contact while jotting down only brief notes.
d. Sit close, lean in to the woman, and use touch liberally.

Question 2

A chief nursing officer (CNO) wants to respond to a threatened reduction in nursing positions in a hospital where financial conditions are poor. Which action by the CNO would be best?

a. Compare nursepatient ratios nationwide, describing the impact of layoffs.
b. Hire a lobbyist to put political pressure on the hospital's administration.
c. Prepare a costbenefit analysis of the effect of nursing care in that hospital.
d. Use a cost-minimization strategy to show how nursing costs can decrease.

Eunice618 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 17, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
Being in a busy location may make the woman fear being overheard, and assurances of confidentiality will encourage her to talk about this sensitive subject.
Why questions tend to place people on the defensive and are seen as a barrier to effective communication.
Maintaining eye contact, if culturally appropriate, is a good idea, but is probably not enough to get this woman to elaborate on her injuries. Writing only brief notes is not a good idea for complete documentation.
Sitting close may violate this patient's personal space. Although leaning in conveys interest, touch should be used judiciously.

Answer to Question 2

C
A costbenefit analysis is a powerful tool for justifying investments into nursing care.
A nationwide comparison of nursepatient ratios might yield important information, but information that is national in scope is easily dismissed as someone else's problem and might not convince administrators of the value of nursing care in this hospital.
Hospital administrators are not elected to their positions, so political pressure probably would not garner the desired results.
Cost-minimization strategies are rarely useful in health care settings because of the variability in interventions and outcomes.