A nurse has observed that an inpatient psychiatric–mental health client has begun speaking loudly and gesturing aggressively to another client in the common area of the unit
After making contact with the client, what question by the nurse is most appropriate and therapeutic?
A) "Why are you getting agitated right now?"
B) "Do you remember what happened the last time you did this?"
C) "Are you feeling angry right now?"
D) "What's making you so unsettled?"
Ans: C
Feedback:
To discover the source of distress, the nurse should use open-ended questions, which elicit meaningful descriptions. Yes-or-no questions are useful for specific information, such as "Are you feeling angry?" The nurse should avoid threatening statements or questions and should avoid asking "why" questions.
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