The nursing assistant observes that the resident did not eat or drink anything for breakfast. What is the best response for the nursing assistant to determine what is going on?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Open-ended questions or statements provide the nursing assistant (NA) most information about what is going on and why the resident is not eating. The best response the NA can use is the one that reflects at face value what is obvious. A response like "I see you that you did not eat your breakfast" opens communication so the resident may tell the NA what is going on. If the NA uses the statement about a need for more time, it will only reflect on that aspect, and the resident will probably state that they are done. If the NA reflects on the assumption that the resident is ill, then that is what the focus of the conversation will be. Asking if there is something that the NA can get instead may result in a simple no or may open the conversation to that direction only.

The Nursing Assistant Observes That the Resident Did Not Eat