As a nurse escorts a patient being discharged after treatment for major depression, the patient gives the nurse a necklace with a heart pendant and says, "Thank you for helping mend my broken heart." Which is the nurse's best response?
a. "Accepting gifts violates the policies and procedures of the facility."
b. "I'm glad you feel so much better now. Thank you for the beautiful necklace."
c. "I'm glad I could help you, but I can't accept the gift. My reward is seeing you with a renewed sense of hope."
d. "Helping people is what nursing is all about. It's rewarding to me when patients recognize how hard we work."
ANS: C
Accepting a gift creates a social rather than therapeutic relationship with the patient and blurs the boundaries of the relationship. A caring nurse will acknowledge the patient's gesture of appreciation, but the gift should not be accepted. See relationship to audience response question.
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