A psychiatric home care nurse knocks on the client's door for the first time and is told by the client, "Go away and leave me alone. I don't want to buy any Girl Scout cookies." What should the nurse do in this instance?
1. Leave, and try to gain admittance to the client's home tomorrow
2. Show the client identification and explain the purpose of the visit
3. Offer to give the client money to buy Girl Scout cookies
4. Call the home health agency and request a new assignment
2
Rationale: The psychiatric home health nurse should provide proof of identity and the reason for knocking on the client's door. Offering the client money, even to buy Girl Scout cookies, is unethical and can create an undesirable precedent for future visits. Leaving without an attempt to gain admittance at this time, or requesting a new assignment from the home health agency, would be unproductive and only serve to delay necessary treatment.
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