A client with schizophrenia approaches the nurse with a look of distress and anguish on his face. He says, “Can’t you hear him? It’s the devil. He’s telling me I’m going to hell.” Which is the most appropriate response by the nurse?

Choice B Reason: Assess for environmental triggers and potential unmet needs.

Choice A Reason:

Consulting the interdisciplinary team regarding behavior modification techniques is important for long-term management of behavioral problems in clients with major neurocognitive disorder. However, it is not the immediate priority when a client is exhibiting acute behavioral escalation. Immediate assessment and intervention are necessary to address the current situation and ensure the client’s safety.

Choice B Reason:

Assessing for environmental triggers and potential unmet needs is the priority in this scenario. Clients with major neurocognitive disorder often exhibit behavioral problems due to unmet needs or environmental factors that they cannot communicate effectively. Identifying and addressing these triggers can help de-escalate the situation and prevent further agitation. This approach aligns with evidence-based practice, which emphasizes understanding the underlying causes of behavioral issues to provide appropriate interventions.

Choice C Reason:

Assessing for potential injury to the client’s arms, legs, and back is crucial, especially if the client is on the ground and exhibiting aggressive behavior. However, this assessment should follow the initial step of identifying and addressing environmental triggers and unmet needs. Ensuring the client’s immediate safety by understanding the cause of their behavior is the first priority.

Choice D Reason:

Anticipating the behavior and physically restraining the client when pacing begins is not recommended as the first line of action. Physical restraint should be a last resort due to the potential for causing harm and increasing the client’s agitation. Instead, non-pharmacological interventions, such as identifying triggers and unmet needs, should be prioritized to manage the behavior safely and effectively.

Choice A Reason:

It is extremely important to maintain professional boundaries with clients.

Maintaining professional boundaries is crucial in nursing to ensure a therapeutic and trusting relationship between the nurse and the client. Crossing these boundaries can lead to ethical issues and compromise the care provided. In this scenario, the nurse allowed personal relationships to influence professional behavior, which is inappropriate and can undermine the client’s trust and the integrity of the nurse-client relationship.

Choice B Reason:

Countertransference may have been a factor in your actions with this client.

Countertransference occurs when a nurse’s personal feelings and experiences influence their professional interactions with a client. In this case, the nurse’s familiarity with the client as a childhood friend of a sibling may have led to biased actions, such as allowing the use of a personal mobile device and sharing confidential information. Recognizing and managing countertransference is essential to maintain objectivity and provide unbiased care.

Choice C Reason:

It would have been better if you called your sibling instead of texting.

This statement is not relevant to the primary issues at hand. Whether the nurse called or texted their sibling does not change the fact that sharing the client’s hospitalization status was a breach of confidentiality. The focus should be on the inappropriate disclosure of protected health information, not the method of communication.

Choice D Reason:

Policies can be amended for clients who are admitted voluntarily, not involuntarily.

This statement is incorrect. Policies regarding the use of personal mobile devices and confidentiality apply to all clients, regardless of whether they are admitted voluntarily or involuntarily. The nurse’s actions violated these policies, and the distinction between voluntary and involuntary admission does not justify the breach.

Choice E Reason:

You have violated HIPAA regulations by notifying your sibling of the client’s admission.

This is the correct response. The nurse violated HIPAA regulations by disclosing the client’s hospitalization status to their sibling without the client’s consent. HIPAA protects the privacy of individuals’ health information, and unauthorized disclosure is a serious violation that can result in legal and professional consequences.