The nurse receives the shift report on a newly admitted patient with a history of behavior that the nurse feels is inappropriate. Which action best demonstrates the nurse's ability to enhance self-knowledge regarding this patient?

Question

1. Ask for guidance from the charge nurse.
2. Disregard the challenge to his or her self-view.
3. Review the current literature pertaining to the patient's condition.
4. Examine his or her own feelings with regard to this patient.

Answer 1

Answer: 4
Explanation: Examining one's own feelings regarding a patient who engages in behaviors that are outside the nurse's behavior norms promotes self-awareness and allows the nurse to respond with compassion and maintain empathy when meeting the patient for the first time. Self-reflection allows the nurse to form a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, even when the nurse does not agree with the patient's past behavior. Asking for guidance or reviewing the literature before examining one's feelings indicates that the nurse is unaware or uncomfortable with feelings and relies on others for guidance. Ignoring how one's own views might be challenged by a patient situation indicates the nurse is not able to confront how the diversity of patient behaviors or experiences. This will impact the quality and nature of the nurse's relationships with others.