A patient states to the nurse in a hostile voice, "I am sick of being poked at and stuck with needles. Go away and leave me alone." Which of the following is the best statement by the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Validating the anger and reframing are useful. Comments such as, "I'm sorry you are feeling so upset," recognize the significance of the emotion being expressed without getting into the cause. "I am not surprised that you wish to be left alone" validates the patient's anger, but does not reframe the situation. The nurse should not make inferences about what the patient is feeling without first validating. "Okay, I will go away" is avoidant behavior by the nurse.

A Patient States to the Nurse in a Hostile Voice