The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Whose Mother Recently

The nurse is caring for a patient whose mother recently passed away. The patient states that she has not been able to concentrate or sleep since the funeral and is consuming increasing amounts of alcohol to get through each day. The nurse knows which goal to be most appropriate for this patient?

A) The patient will be referred to medical social services for evaluation and counseling.
B) The patient will be encouraged to describe previous stressors and coping mechanisms.
C) Nursing staff support patient's coping attempts and encourage verbalization of feelings.
D) The patient will use effective coping strategies with no alcohol consumption.