A patient recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes tells the nurse, “This is all my fault. If I had taken better care of myself, I wouldn’t be in this situation.” Which response by the nurse is the most therapeutic?

Choice A reason: Disenfranchised grief occurs when a loss is not socially acknowledged, such as in a non-traditional relationship, preventing open mourning. This leads to suppressed emotions and potential psychological distress, as the individual feels isolated in their grief, making this the correct choice for the described scenario.

Choice B reason: Anticipatory grief occurs before an expected loss, such as during a terminal illness, where individuals mourn in advance. The scenario describes grief after a death, not before, and the issue is lack of social recognition, not anticipation, making this choice incorrect.

Choice C reason: Complicated grief involves prolonged, intense grief that impairs functioning, often with unresolved emotions. While the woman’s sadness is significant, the key issue is the inability to mourn openly due to social stigma, not prolonged grief, making this choice incorrect.

Choice D reason: Chronic grief refers to persistent grief without resolution, often over years. The scenario does not indicate a prolonged duration but rather the social barrier to mourning a non-recognized relationship, aligning with disenfranchised grief, not chronic grief, making this choice incorrect.

Choice A reason: Expressing empathy, such as acknowledging the difficulty of the loss, fosters a therapeutic connection. It validates the patient’s emotions, encouraging open expression of grief, which is essential for processing loss and aligns with therapeutic communication principles, making this choice therapeutic.

Choice B reason: Asking the patient to elaborate on their feelings is a therapeutic open-ended question. It promotes exploration of emotions, facilitating grief processing by engaging the patient’s prefrontal cortex in reflecting on their experience, making this a therapeutic response and incorrect for the question.

Choice C reason: Saying “You’ll feel better soon” minimizes the patient’s grief, dismissing their current emotional state. This nontherapeutic response can inhibit emotional expression, as it implies a timeline for grief recovery, potentially disrupting the patient’s natural mourning process, making this the correct choice.

Choice D reason: Offering support and encouraging discussion is therapeutic, as it builds trust and validates the patient’s experience. This response engages the patient in processing grief, supporting emotional regulation through empathetic communication, making it a therapeutic response and incorrect for the question.