The nurse plans to encourage an anxious patient to talk about his feelings and concerns. The rationale for this intervention is that:
a. talking serves as constructive distraction and reduces the patient's anxiety.
b. stating concerns aloud becomes less overwhelming and promotes problem solving.
c. focusing on and validating what is occurring in the environment reduces anxiety.
d. exploring feelings reduces one's sense of powerlessness and lessens anxiety.
B
Assisting the patient to talk about feelings and concerns can reduce isolation and facilitate problem solving. Distraction can temporarily aid in reducing anxiety levels but is not the intent of exploring one's feelings. Identifying and validating events in the environment can increase self awareness but is not the intention of exploring feelings. Exploring feelings, particularly those for which there is no ready solution, can intensify powerlessness rather than reduce it.
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