During an initial interview, the client says "I don't understand why I have to have surgery; I'm really not that sick or in pain right now." How should the nurse respond to the client?

Question

1. "It's OK to be worried. Surgery is a big step."
2. "What kind of questions do you have about your surgery?"
3. "I think these are things you should be asking your doctor."
4. "Have you had surgery before?"

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: Simply noting the concern, without dealing with it, can leave the impression that the nurse does not care about the client's concerns or dismisses them as unimportant.
Rationale 2: The nurse should use a combination of directive and nondirective approaches during the interview to determine areas of concern for the client.
Rationale 3: Passing the questions off for the doctor would leave the impression that the nurse does not care about the client's concerns or dismisses them as unimportant.
Rationale 4: A closed question (Have you had surgery before?) does not allow the client to offer much information, besides yes/no or one-word answers.