The nurse is caring for an intoxicated client who has been admitted to the emergency department. The client appears very angry and frequently shouts at the nurse and demands to see the physician. The best response by the nurse is to use

Question

a. blaming.
b. empathy.
c. competition.
d. "I" statements.

Answer 1

ANS: B
Effective nurse-client communication is critical to efficient care provision and to providing quality care. Knowing how to respond in emotional situations allows the nurse to use feelings as a positive force. Nurses often find themselves in dramatic situations in which a calm response is required. Some clients approach their initial encounter with a nurse with hostility or embarrassment, such as the intoxicated client admitted to an emergency department. To listen and to respond creatively to intense emotion when the nurse's first impulse is to withdraw or to retaliate demands a high level of skill. It requires self-control and empathy for what the client may be experiencing. The nurse should avoid blaming, which will only make the client feel defensive or angry. Competition is a response style characterized by domination. In this contradictory style, one party exercises power to gain his own goals at the expense of the other person. It is characterized by aggression and lack of compromise. Authority may be used to suppress the conflict in a dictatorial manner. This leads to increased stress. It is an effective style when there is a need for a quick decision, but it leads to problems in the long term, making it a lose-lose situation. Timing is also important if an individual is very angry. The key to assertive behavior is choice. Sometimes it is better to allow the client to let off some "emotional steam" before engaging in conversation.