An appropriate nursing strategy to assist a patient who was involuntarily admitted after a suicide attempt is::
a. Avoiding any focus on the topic of suicide
b. Encouraging patient to verbalize personal feelings
c. Supporting patient focus on others rather than self
d. Discussing the impact of suicidal thoughts on the family
ANS: B
Verbalization helps relieve pent-up feelings and emotional pain. Avoidance of the topic is nontherapeutic for a suicidal patient. The remaining options may serve to increase the pa-tient's feelings of guilt.
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