A 50-year-old male with a diagnosis of leukemia is responding poorly to treatment. He's tearful and trying to express his feelings, but he's having difficulty. The nurse's first action should be to:
A) Tell him that she'll leave for now but she'll be back.
B) Offer to call pastoral care.
C) Ask if he would like her to sit with him while he collects his thoughts.
D) Tell him that she can understand how he's feeling.
Ans: C
Feedback: The patient needs to feel that people are concerned with his situation. Option A is incorrect because leaving the patient doesn't show acceptance of his feelings. Option B is incorrect because offering to call pastoral care may be helpful for some patients but should be done only after the nurse has spent time with the patient. Option D is incorrect because telling the patient that she understands how he's feeling is inappropriate because it doesn't help him express his feelings.
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