ATI Engage Mental Health RN: Building Nurse-Client Relationships - Building Therapeutic Relationships

A nurse is caring for a client who state, "I really like you. Can we get together socially after I am discharged?" Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

"I appreciate your comment. However, I am your nurse, and it would be inappropriate for us to engage socially outside of treatment."

The client might not be familiar with the boundaries of the professional nurse-client relationship. The nurse should reiterate the boundaries of the relationship while acknowledging the client's statement.

A nurse is preparing to interview a client and is reviewing therapeutic communication techniques. Which of the following should the nurse include in the interview to encourage the client to continue sharing feelings and information?

"What are some of the stressors that you have in your life?"

Open-ended questions allow the client to elaborate on what is important to them in their own words. It is an open invitation to share feelings and information.

A nurse is interviewing a client who is contemplating a behavior change. Which of the following statements should the nurse make to engage with the client?

"Tell me about the things that are important to you in your life."

This open-ended statement engages the client to discuss topics that are important in their life and related to the potential change of behavior.

A nurse is admitting a new client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take during the orientation phase of the nurse-client relationship?

Establish boundaries.

In the orientation phase, the nurse sets the tone for the relationship by setting boundaries and developing mutual goals.

A nurse is preparing to discharge a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take to improve the client's level of functioning beyond the nurse-client relationship?

Provide community resource referrals.

The nurse should provide community referrals and resources in the resolution phase of the nurse-client relationship.

A nurse is working in a mental health facility in an occupational role. Which of the following activities is a function of the occupational role of the nurse?

Educating a client on risk factors

The occupational role of a nurse includes education, group facilitation, and care management.

A nurse is reflecting on their performance after engaging with a client in an interview. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to implement to improve receptiveness in their next client interview?

Sit at a slight angle across from the client.

If a client is feeling vulnerable, sitting directly in front of them might be perceived as confrontational. The nurse should sit across from the client at a slight angle to create a comfortable environment.

A nurse is seeking to improve outcomes in mental health by incorporating technology as a part of primary prevention interventions. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Distribute a video discussing risk factors for suicide and depression at a local high school.

This action by the nurse represents a strategy for incorporating technology as a primary prevention intervention.

A nurse is caring for a client who is from a different culture than them. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to provide culturally competent care?

Contact an interpreter if the client does not respond to nonverbal communication cues.

The nurse should not hesitate to contact an interpreter if they detect a language barrier or if the client does not respond to nonverbal cues of communication.

A nurse is interviewing a client who state they are thinking about smoking cessation by using patches. Which of the following responses should the nurse use to focus on the client?

"This might not be the best method for you, but we can discuss some options that others have found to be helpful."

This is an example of a statement that helps the client to focus.

A nurse is participating in an interdisciplinary team meeting for clients on the unit. Which of the following actions should the nurse recommend to improve diversity among the treatment team?

Integrate clinicians from various cultural backgrounds into the team meeting.

To support diversity among the interdisciplinary team, the nurse should recommend integrating clinicians from various cultural backgrounds.

A nurse is interviewing a client who states they are unsure whether they should continue with their medication therapy. Which of the following responses should the nurse make to evoke client motivation?

"On a scale of 0 to 10, how confident are you that you could adhere to your medication regimen if you tried?"

This is a question the nurse would use to evoke client motivation.

A nurse is working to build rapport and trust with a new client. Which of the following actions by the nurse could serve as a barrier to building rapport?

The nurse uses clinical terminology to help the client better understand their diagnosis.

The client's education level might serve as a barrier for building rapport. Initially, the nurse should use simple vocabulary when building rapport with the client and avoid clinical terminology.

A nurse is seeking to improve outcomes in mental health care by integrating technology in a local clinic. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to incorporate technology as a part of tertiary prevention intervention?

Refer clients to a support group that meets on social media.

This action by the nurse represents a strategy for incorporating technology as a tertiary prevention intervention.

A nurse is using the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) tool while collecting a health history from a client who is from a different culture from the nurse. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

"I am wondering what you believe the cause of the problem is."

While using the CFI, the nurse should elicit the client's perspective of what they believe is causing the problem.

A nurse is using considerations Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory to plan care for a client who is from a different culture than the nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take to demonstrate the consideration of cultural preservation?

Request specific meal tray items to support the client's spiritual beliefs.

The nurse demonstrates cultural preservation by seeking to retain the client's core cultural beliefs and values related to health care, such as diet and clothing preference.

A nurse is helping a client develop a plan for successful behavior change. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan?

Schedule an appointment with a provider who lives within walking distance of the client.

The nurse should plan to work within the constraints of available resources for the client.

A nurse is participating in an interdisciplinary team meeting for clients on the unit? Which of the following actions should the nurse recommend to improve equity among the clients?

Provide free or low-cost treatment options for all clients.

Recommending this action will support equity among the clients. Equity ensures that each client has equal opportunity to initiate and continue fair treatment.

A nurse manager is providing teaching to a group of newly licensed nurses about organizational culture. Which of the following statements by a newly licensed nurse indicates an understanding of organizational culture?

"This organization believes that each client should be at the center of their own care."

This statement by the nurse represents the beliefs of the organization, which refers to organizational culture.

A nurse is interviewing a client who is irritable and agitated. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to portray engagement with the client?

Give a slight nod throughout the interview.

To avoid appearing too relaxed, the nurse should give a slight nod or slightly lean forward to exhibit engagement.

A nurse wants to improve their therapeutic communication by implementing the use of bias-free language. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to provide bias-free language?

Ask the client how they prefer to be addressed.

If a nurse is unsure about how to address a client, the nurse should ask the client for clarification.

A nurse is preparing to interview a client and is reviewing therapeutic communication techniques. Which of the following statements should the nurse make to affirm the client's behavior change?

"You completed your antibiotic regimen. You are serious about improving your health."

This statement by the nurse affirms the client's behavior and offers positive reinforcement.

A nurse is seeking to improve outcomes in mental health care by integrating technology in a local clinic. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to incorporate technology as a part of secondary prevention interventions?

Utilize a video conferencing application to perform a suicide risk screening.

This action by the nurse represents a strategy for incorporating technology as a secondary prevention intervention.

A nurse manager is teaching a newly licensed nurse about ways to provide culturally competent care for clients? Which of the following instructions should the nurse manager include in the teaching?

Seek assistance from an interpreter for language barriers.

The nurse manager should instruct the newly licensed nurse to contact an interpreter if they detect a language barrier or if the client does not respond to nonverbal cues of communication.

A nurse is assisting a client to develop a plan to reduce caloric intake. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan as a measurable goal for this client?

The client will record consuming no more than 1,800 calories per day.

This is an example of a measurable goal. The nurse should plan to use objective measurements, like calories consumed per day, or use a tool to translate subjective experiences into something that is measurable.

A nurse is researching methods of incorporating technology in their nursing practice. Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to incorporate technology in nursing care?

Implement a client-centered self-schedule smartphone application.

The nurse can utilize electronic health records, educational videos, and smartphone applications to improve mental health care outcomes.

A nurse is participating in an interdisciplinary team meeting for clients on the unit. Which of the following actions should the nurse recommend to improve inclusion among the treatment team?

Include discussion of the clients' spiritual needs in team meetings.

Recommending this action supports inclusion. Inclusion refers to the ability of all care team members, including the clients, to voice their concerns with treatment and influence the decision-making process based on their needs.

A nurse is caring for a client who sates, "I don't think medications are for me." Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

"Tell me more about what you feel would work best for you."

This statement by the nurse is an open-ended therapeutic statement that invites the client to share their ideas or emotions.

A nurse is using the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) tool while collecting a health history from a client who is from a culture different than the nurse. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

"Tell me some of the coping skills that have previously helped you."

While using the CFI, the nurse should ask the client to discuss what coping skills they have previously used to provide relief from the issues being discussed.

A nurse is researching methods of incorporating technology in their nursing practice. Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to incorporate technology in nursing care?

Implement a video conferencing policy for clients in rural locations.

The nurse could utilize video conferencing to improve equity for clients in rural locations.