The nurse is teaching the patient about weight management, and the patient wants to know how the nurse manages to stay "so thin.". Which response should the nurse use to maintain therapeutic communication?
a. State that nurses cannot discuss personal information with patients.
b. Describe a daily routine of walking the family dog to the local park.
c. Recognize the question and redirect the discussion to weight management.
d. Explain that the patient needs a back-ground in health care to use the nurse's plan.
C
After acknowledging the patient's question, the nurse redirects the conversation to weight man-agement because therapeutic communication is patient centered and goal oriented; however, the communication and the goal do not involve personal details about the nurse because therapeutic communication is not social conversation. Describing a daily routine reveals personal information that belies the nurse-patient relationship. Telling the patient that a healthcare background is needed to implement the nurse's plan is condescending and conveys a lack of respect.
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