A pregnant woman states, "I just know labor will be so painful that I won't be able to stand it. I know it sounds awful, but I really dread going into labor." The nurse responds by stating, "Oh, don't worry about labor so much. I have been through it, and although it is painful, many good medications are available to decrease the pain." Which statement is true regarding the nurse's response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By saying "Oh, don't worry about labor so much. I have been through it, and although it is painful, many good medications are available to decrease the pain" the nurse is providing false assurance or reassurance. This may give the nurse a false sense of having provided comfort. However, for the woman, providing false assurance or reassurance actually trivializes her anxiety, and effectively denies any further talk of it, thus, closing off communication. The nurse's statement, "Oh, don't worry about labor so much. I have been through it, and although it is painful, many good medications are available to decrease the pain" is not therapeutic because it trivializes the patient's anxiety about pain, and effectively denies any further talk of it, thus, closing off communication.

A Pregnant Woman States, "I Just Know Labor Will Be