Author Question: A client newly admitted to the behavioral medicine unit with a diagnosis of borderline personality ... (Read 64 times)

gonzo233 · **on:** Jul 19, 2018

A client newly admitted to the behavioral medicine unit with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder wants to continue watching TV in the community room when clients are supposed to be asleep in their rooms.

The client says to the nurse, This is my first night here. Can't you bend the rules just this one time? The MOST therapeutic response by the nurse would be to say: a. No, rules are rules.
b. Let us spend a few minutes going over the rules of the unit.
c. Yes, this one time only because this is your first night here.
d. If it were up to me, it would be all right. I also like watching late-night TV.

Question 2

A patient diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) tells a nurse, I'm such a stupid person for behaving this way.. The most therapeutic nursing response would be to:

a. change the subject.
b. agree that the behavior is problematic.
c. ask about the feelings experienced before using the behavior.
d. support the insight by asking for immediate behavioral change.

amandalm · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B
The most therapeutic response by the nurse would be to review the unit rules with the client. The nurse should avoid taking a parental attitude reflected in saying, No, rules are rules. The nurse should not allow to manipulate her or express personal interest in late-night TV. The issue is that the unit rules refer to all.

Answer to Question 2

C
Helping the patient connect anxiety and the use of the symptom is an initial therapeutic step. The nurse acknowledges the patient's feeling, attempts to label it, helps the patient describe feelings, and associates them with the use of a specific behavioral pattern.