The client continues to demonstrate anxiety or fear during an interview. The nurse should:

Question

A. Use more gestures or pictures
B. Focus on the physical complaints
C. Get another staff member to speak to the client
D. Repeat information to the client at a later time

Answer 1

D
D. Anxiety can limit the amount of information the client can understand, so information may need to be repeated when client's level of anxiety has decreased.
A. Increasing gestures and pictures is increased stimulation that causes increased anxiety for the client. This behavior could also be interpreted by the client as increased anxiety on the part of the nurse.
B. Physical complaints need to be acknowledged, but dwelling on them can increase the client's anxiety.
C. Effective communication should be used to lower the client's anxiety; involving another staff member would cause a break in the continuity of care.