During the first interview with a parent whose child died in a car accident, the nurse feels empathic and reaches out to take the patient's hand. Select the correct analysis of the nurse's behavior.
A) It shows empathy and compassion. It will encourage the patient to continue to express feelings.
B) The gesture is premature. The patient's cultural and individual interpretation of touch is unknown.
C) The patient will perceive the gesture as intrusive and overstepping boundaries.
D) The action is inappropriate. Patients in a psychiatric setting should not be touched.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Touch has various cultural and individual interpretations. Nurses should refrain from using touch until an assessment can be made regarding the way in which the patient will perceive touch. The other options present prematurely drawn conclusions.

During the First Interview with a Parent Whose Child Died