A patient with a history of daily alcohol use says, "Drinking helps me cope with being a single parent." Which response by the nurse would help the individual conceptualize the drinking more objectively?
A) "Sooner or later, alcohol will kill you. Then what will happen to your children?"
B) "I hear a lot of defensiveness in your voice. Do you really believe this?"
C) "If you were coping so well, why were you hospitalized again?"
D) "Tell me what happened the last time you drank."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The individual is rationalizing. The correct response will help the patient see alcohol as a cause of the problems, not the solution. This approach can also help the patient become receptive to the possibility of change. The incorrect responses directly confront and attack defenses against anxiety that the patient still needs. They reflect the nurse's frustration with the patient.

A Patient with a History of Daily Alcohol Use Says