Aclient with stage II breast cancer tells the nurse, "I need to decide about what type of surgery to have, but I feel so overwhelmed that I cannot make any decisions yet! What do you think I should do?" Which of the following responses by the nurse is best?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This response indicates the nurse's willingness to assist the client with the decision-making process without imposing the nurse's values or opinions. It is not appropriate to say that it is not the nurse's decision to make as this would close the conversation and indicates that the nurse is not willing to help the client with the decision about treatment. Because treatment decisions for breast cancer do need to be made relatively quickly, it is not alright to tell the client that the decision does not need to be made rapidly. Since the nurse's values and situation are not the same as the client's, imposing the nurse's opinions during this emotionally vulnerable time is not appropriate.

Aclient with Stage II Breast Cancer Tells the Nurse, "I