When communicating with a psychotic, schizophrenic patient, the nurse avoids the use of slang phrases most importantly because:

Question

a. Such phrases have different meanings for different people.
b. Such phrases will likely trigger anxiety and frustration in the patient.
c. The use of such phrases is not appropriate when communicating therapeutically with a patient.
d. This patient's altered thought processes will serve to make understanding such phrases very unlikely.

Answer 1

ANS: D
Precise verbal communication is important because spoken words often mean different things to different people. Figures of speech, jokes, clichés, colloquialisms, and other terms or spe-cial phrases carry a variety of meanings especially to individuals with altered thought pro-cesses. A person with schizophrenia interprets concretely and literally whereas psychosis generally brings about loose associations. Although all the options are reasons to avoid the use of slang phrases, the primary reason in this case in to avoid confusing the patient.