A patient being treated in the burn injury unit has demonstrated good coping skills for several weeks.Today,a new nurse is assigned to care for him and has proven to be poorly organized.The patient's usual schedule has not been followed,and by midafternoon,he is angry and raises his voice to complain to the nurse clinician.Which course of action for the nurse clinician would be best?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a patient with good coping skills is angry and overwhelmed,the goal is to reestablish a means of dealing with the situation.The nurse should problem solve with the patient by acknowledging and validating the patient's feelings as understandable,then assuring that the patient has a role in seeking an acceptable solution.Often patients can tell the nurse what they would like to have happen as a reasonable first step.Taking over the care would not necessarily be what the patient wants;for example,despite his distress with the novice,he might not want her to "get into trouble" or be replaced.Asking him to be patient because of staffing needs puts the needs of staff and the hospital ahead of the needs of the patient.Reminding him that he was also once a novice in some respect could induce guilt and would be a disconfirming (nontherapeutic)statement in that it invalidates his anger.

A Patient Being Treated in the Burn Injury Unit Has