The nurse has just received a report on a new client admitted for depression. The client has severe cerebral palsy, communicates only with a computer, and is quadriplegic

Question

Which of the following statements best demonstrates that the nurse has the ability to respond to this client? 1. "I will read the record and talk with the physician to understand the client's disabilities."
2. "It is important to interview the client's family before I meet the client."
3. "This assignment may be a challenge for me and I will need to be aware of my feelings and any potential fears related to caring for this client."
4. "The first thing I will do is thoroughly assess the client's needs and abilities."

Answer 1

3
Rationale: Acknowledging that caring for the client may be a challenge is the correct answer. Self-awareness of one's feelings and potential emotional responses to a situation is essential to develop empathy. The nurse recognizes that before meeting any client, it is important to recognize one's feelings and clarify beliefs and attitudes, especially when receiving medical information that might be unusual or even frightening. Assessing the client's needs and abilities and interviewing the family may be helpful in caring for this client, but will not necessarily enhance the nurse's self-awareness. Reading the record and talking with the physician demonstrates that the nurse has difficulty confronting feelings and will rely on others for guidance.