Question 26.

A nurse is caring for a 2-year-old toddler.

Which of the following food choices should the nurse recommend to promote independence in eating?

The correct answer is choice A. “I can give you information about respite care if you are interested.” Respite care is a service that provides short-term inpatient care for terminally-ill patients at a professional care facility, such as a hospital, hospice inpatient care facility, or nursing home. It is meant to relieve caregiver stress and offer them rest and time away from caregiving duties. Respite care is covered by Medicare for up to five consecutive days and no more than one respite period in a single billing period.

The nurse should offer this option to the son who is experiencing sleep deprivation due to caring for his mother.

Choice B is wrong because it suggests that the son should rely on medication to cope with his situation, which may not be appropriate or effective.

Sleeping pills may have side effects or interactions with other drugs, and they do not address the underlying cause of the son’s stress and fatigue.

Choice C is wrong because it does not acknowledge the son’s need for support or assistance.

It may sound like an empty compliment or a dismissal of the son’s concerns.

The nurse should express empathy and compassion, but also provide information and resources that can help the son.

Choice D is wrong because it does not offer any solution or guidance to the son.

It may also sound like a cliché or a generalization that does not reflect the son’s unique experience.

The nurse should avoid making assumptions or judgments about the son’s feelings or situation, and instead focus on his needs and preferences.

Encourage collaboration between the two nurses when making the assignments. This is because collaboration is one of the most effective conflict-resolution strategies in nursing, as it involves finding a mutually beneficial solution that satisfies both parties and improves the quality of care. Collaboration can also foster trust, respect, and teamwork among nurses, which can boost morale and efficiency.

Choice B is wrong because telling the nurses that the assignments will be more equitable in the future does not address the root cause of the conflict or involve the nurses in the decision-making process.

It also implies that the charge nurse admits to being unfair, which can damage their credibility and authority.

Choice C is wrong because asking each nurse to take turns making the assignments does not resolve the conflict, but rather avoids it. Avoidance is one of the least effective conflict management strategies in nursing, as it results in not addressing the issue or finding a common ground.

Avoidance can also lead to resentment, frustration, and poor communication among nurses.

Choice D is wrong because arranging for the nurses to have as few shifts together as possible also does not resolve the conflict, but rather accommodates it. Accommodation is another ineffective conflict management strategy in nursing, as it involves giving in to one party’s demands or preferences at the expense of another’s.

Accommodation can also create a sense of inequality, injustice, and dissatisfaction among nurses.

Normal ranges for conflict-resolution strategies in nursing are not applicable, as different situations may require different approaches.

However, some general guidelines are to use collaboration when both parties have important goals or interests, compromise when both parties have some common ground or willingness to give up something, competition when one party has a clear advantage or authority, avoidance when the conflict is trivial or temporary, and accommodation when one party values harmony or relationships more than their own goals or interests.