A patient sustained a C4 fracture in a diving accident. The patient's wife says, "I'll be so glad when he gets off the ventilator so that he can communicate with me.". How should the nurse respond to this statement?
1. "It may be a few weeks before he is strong enough to breathe on his own.".
2. "We don't know if he will be able to talk when we get him off the ventilator.".
3. "There are ways we can teach both of you to communicate that will not require his being off the ventilator.".
4. "We need to focus on his getting better, not on how he will communicate.".
3
Rationale 1: Injuries at C4 or higher cause paralysis of the diaphragm. Mechanical ventilation is likely to be necessary for the rest of the patient's life.
Rationale 2: This patient's injury will probably necessitate mechanical ventilation for life.
Rationale 3: The patient will likely be on the ventilator for the rest of his life. There are communication methods that can be used while the patient is still on the ventilator.
Rationale 4: The wife needs to be given realistic hope for a way to communicate with her husband. This statement is not therapeutic.
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Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
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