A nurse comes to the mental health clinic tired, angry, and in a ...

[jlmhmf]

A nurse comes to the mental health clinic tired, angry, and in a hurry.
 
  After making several minor mistakes, the nurse realizes that in order to help clients and improve their functioning through the development of behavioral contracts, he/she must first take his/her time and change his/her attitude in order to: 1. Formulate practical and measurable objectives.
  2. Develop goals based on client and family needs.
  3. Normalize the family's experience.
  4. Teach the client communication skills.

Question 2

A female client has made the decision to leave her husband, who abuses alcohol. She states she is very depressed. Which of the following statements best demonstrates the nurse's empathy?
 
  1. I know you are feeling very depressed right now. I felt the same way when I left my husband. From my experience, you are doing the right thing.
  2. I can understand that you are feeling depressed right now. It must have been a very difficult decision to make. I'll sit here with you for a while.
  3. I am very sorry you are going through this difficult time. I wish things could be different.
  4. It is sad thing to break up a marriage. It's a shame that it didn't work out for you.

[cupcake16]

Answer to Question 1

1
Rationale: Formulating practical and measurable objectives and goals is the next step in developing a behavioral contract. Objectives are small steps leading to goal attainment; goals represent the overall desired outcomes. Learning communication skills may be a result of a successful behavioral contract. Normalizing the family's experience is not part of a behavioral contract.

Answer to Question 2

2
Rationale: Conveying an understanding of the client's feelings, acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, and offering to sit with her conveys the nurse's ability to respond to and understand the experience of the client on her terms. Self-disclosure of the nurse's experience to validate the client's experience does not convey empathy and may overwhelm the client. Saying you are sorry and wishing things could be different conveys sympathy, not empathy. Saying that it is a sad situation and that it is a shame it did not work out invalidates the client's experience and shuts down expression of feelings.

[jlmhmf]

Thank you

[cupcake16]

No problemo