A patient just received a diagnosis of cancer. Which statement by the nurse demonstrates empathy?
A) "Tomorrow will be better."
B) "This must be hard news to hear."
C) "What's your biggest fear about this diagnosis?"
D) "I believe you can overcome this because I've seen how strong you are."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

"This must be hard" is an example of empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and accept another person's reality, accurately perceive feelings, and communicate this understanding to the other. An example of false reassurance is "Tomorrow will be better." "I believe you can overcome this" is an example of sharing hope. "What is your biggest fear?" is an open-ended question that allows patients to take the conversational lead and introduces pertinent information about a topic.

A Patient Just Received a Diagnosis of Cancer