After being given negative news about a health problem, the client, with tears running down her face, asks, "Why did this happen to me?" Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
a. "Could someone have cursed you?"
b. "Do you feel your life is out of balance?"
c. "God has a plan for each of us even if we do not understand it."
d. "Why do you think it might have happened?"
ANS: D
Each response represents a particular belief about illness, but without knowing the patient's perspective, the wrong one could easily be chosen. It is difficult to be comforting without knowing the client's beliefs about the causation of illness. The best way to discover this is to query the patient.
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