During a prenatal check, a patient begins to cry as the nurse asks her about previous pregnancies. She states that she is remembering her last pregnancy, which ended in miscarriage. The nurse's best response to her crying would be:

Question

a. "I'm so sorry for making you cry!"
b. "I can see that you are sad remembering this. It is all right to cry."
c. "Why don't I step out for a few minutes until you're feeling better?"
d. "I can see that you feel sad about this; why don't we talk about something else?"

Answer 1

ANS: B
A beginning examiner usually feels horrified when the patient starts crying. When the nurse says something that "makes the person cry," the nurse should not think he or she has hurt the person. The nurse has simply hit on an important topic; therefore, moving on to a new topic is essential. The nurse should allow the person to cry and to express his or her feelings fully. The nurse can offer a tissue and wait until the crying subsides to talk.