A home health nurse is precepting a new nurse during a routine ...

[saraeharris]

A home health nurse is precepting a new nurse during a routine wound care visit. The new nurse is assessing the client's wound and notes that the wound is showing signs and symptoms of infection. The client's spouse asks the new nurse how the wound looks.
 
  The new nurse responds by stating, It looks fine, but the new nurse's face indicates a different story. When evaluating the new nurse, the preceptor should note that work is needed on which aspect of communication?
  A) Credibility
  B) Adaptability
  C) Timing and relevance
  D) Clarity and brevity

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a young adult client after a cervical biopsy. The client has expressed anxiety about the results. The healthcare provider peeks into the client's room and says, The biopsy is negative.
 
  The nurse later finds the client sobbing. Which response by the nurse is appropriate?
  A) What did the healthcare provider tell you about the biopsy?
  B) You seem upset. Do you want to talk to me about the test results?
  C) Why are you crying with such good news?
  D) The term 'negative' in this case is good

[at]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: B

Adaptability is adjusting tone of speech and facial expression to match the spoken message. Clearly, if the nurse's facial expression does not match the words, the client's family will identify a problem with the situation. Credibility means worthiness of belief, trustworthiness, and reliability. Timing and relevance affect how the message is taken or heard. Clarity and brevity are characteristics involving preciseness and use of few words.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: B

The nurse does not know specifically what the client is sobbing about and should ask the client an open-ended question so the client can talk. The physician, in delivering important news to the client, should have taken time to sit with her to discuss the results of the test. In telling the client that the test was negative, the physician did not clarify what negative actually meant. Using medical jargon without an explanation can lead to misinterpretation of the message by the client. Asking the client why she is crying over good news does not allow the client to express concern over the results. Asking the client what the physician told her assumes that she is crying because of what the physician said and does not allow her to express her concern in an open-ended manner. Saying that the test results are good in this case assumes that the client has misunderstood the results, which may be true but does not allow the client to express her concerns.