A nurse is reinforcing teaching about disease management with a client who has GERD.

Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

Dependent personality disorder is characterized by an excessive reliance on others for decision-making and a fear of being alone or taking responsibility. Encouraging the client to be assertive helps promote their independence and self-confidence. It allows them to express their needs and preferences, make decisions, and take responsibility for their own actions. Empowering the client to be assertive can enhance their overall well-being and promote healthier relationships.

Limiting the client's social interactions may exacerbate their dependency and hinder their progress in developing more self-reliance and independent coping skills. It is important to encourage appropriate and healthy social interactions while also promoting the client's independence.

Maintaining a verbal no-harm contract with the client is a strategy more commonly used for clients at risk of self-harm or harm to others. It may not be directly applicable to the care of a client with dependent personality disorder unless there are specific safety concerns. Assuming responsibility for making the client's decisions would reinforce their dependency and enable their avoidance of taking personal responsibility. It is important to promote autonomy and support the client in making their own decisions whenever possible.

Explanation:

Displacement is a defense mechanism in which an individual redirect their emotions or impulses from their original target to a less threatening or safer target. In this scenario, the client yells at the nurse when medication changes are prescribed by the provider. The client may be feeling angry or frustrated about the medication changes but is unable to express those emotions directly towards the provider. Instead, the client displaces those feelings onto the nurse, who may be seen as a safer or more accessible target. The yelling behavior directed at the nurse is a way for the client to release and express their emotions indirectly.

Let's briefly discuss the other defense mechanisms mentioned:

A- Conversion: Conversion involves the expression of psychological distress or conflict through physical symptoms or ailments. It is not applicable in this scenario since the client's behavior does not involve physical symptoms.

B- Splitting: Splitting is a defense mechanism characterized by a black-and-white thinking pattern, where individuals perceive others or situations as all good or all bad. It does not directly apply in this scenario as the client's behavior is not indicative of splitting.

D- Sublimation: Sublimation is a defense mechanism in which an individual channel their unacceptable or potentially harmful impulses into socially acceptable outlets, such as creative or productive activities. It is not evident in this scenario as the client's behavior does not involve transforming the emotions into a more positive or socially acceptable form.