A female client has made the decision to leave her husband, who abuses alcohol. She states she is very depressed. Which of the following statements best demonstrates the nurse's empathy?
1. "I know you are feeling very depressed right now. I felt the same way when I left my husband. From my experience, you are doing the right thing."
2. "I can understand that you are feeling depressed right now. It must have been a very difficult decision to make. I'll sit here with you for a while."
3. "I am very sorry you are going through this difficult time. I wish things could be different."
4. "It is sad thing to break up a marriage. It's a shame that it didn't work out for you."
2
Rationale: Conveying an understanding of the client's feelings, acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, and offering to sit with her conveys the nurse's ability to respond to and understand the experience of the client on her terms. Self-disclosure of the nurse's experience to validate the client's experience does not convey empathy and may overwhelm the client. Saying you are sorry and wishing things could be different conveys sympathy, not empathy. Saying that it is a sad situation and that it is a shame it did not work out invalidates the client's experience and shuts down expression of feelings.
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