A patient who has been hospitalized for weeks becomes angry and tells the nurse who is caring for him, "I hate this place; nobody knows how to take care of me or I'd be home by now." Which response by the nurse is best in this situation?
a. "You seem angry; what's going on that makes you hate this place?"
b. "I'm sorry that we aren't caring for you according to your expectations."
c. "You were very sick; don't be angry; you're lucky to be alive."
d. "You shouldn't be angry with us; we're trying to help you."
A
"You seem angry; what's going on . . ." encourages the patient to express his feelings and may provide you with more information. The nurse should not take responsibility for the patient's anger by apologizing ("I'm sorry . . ."). Advising the patient "don't be angry" or "you shouldn't be angry" diminishes the patient's right to be angry.
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