The nurse caring for a terminally ill patient sits down and lightly touches the patient’s hand. Which technique is the nurse using?

Choice A reason: Asking if the patient is reliving trauma targets a core PTSD symptom—intrusive memories or flashbacks—critical for diagnosis per DSM-5 criteria. This question helps identify PTSD’s psychological impact, guiding interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy or SSRIs. Prioritizing this ensures timely recognition of PTSD, addressing the patient’s sleep disturbances and trauma-related distress effectively.

Choice B reason: Asking when the patient wakes up provides limited insight into PTSD. While sleep timing may indicate disturbances, it doesn’t address specific PTSD symptoms like intrusive memories or hyperarousal. This question is less urgent, risking delayed identification of PTSD, which requires targeted psychological assessment to guide therapy and medication for trauma-related nightmares.

Choice C reason: Describing phobias is irrelevant to PTSD assessment, as phobias are distinct anxiety disorders. PTSD involves trauma-specific symptoms like flashbacks, not generalized fears. This question misdirects focus from trauma-related sleep issues, potentially delaying PTSD diagnosis and appropriate interventions like trauma-focused therapy, leaving the patient’s nightmares and distress unaddressed.

Choice D reason: Asking about chest pain assesses physical symptoms unrelated to PTSD’s psychological profile, which includes nightmares and intrusive thoughts. While chest pain could indicate anxiety or cardiac issues, it’s not a priority for suspected PTSD. This question risks overlooking trauma-related symptoms, delaying psychological evaluation and support critical for the patient’s mental health recovery.

Choice A reason: Placing colored stickers on faucet handles helps the patient with visual and tactile deficits identify hot and cold water, reducing burn risk. This action demonstrates successful learning of a safety strategy, promoting independence by compensating for sensory impairments and preventing injury from harmful stimuli.

Choice B reason: Using a heating pad, even on low, is risky for a patient with tactile deficits, as they may not feel burns. This does not reflect safe learning, as it increases injury risk rather than mitigating it, making it an incorrect indicator of successful safety strategy adoption.

Choice C reason: Asking the nurse to test water temperature relies on external assistance, not independence. While safe, it does not demonstrate the patient’s ability to manage risks autonomously, which is the goal of the teaching. This action indicates partial understanding, making it less correct.

Choice D reason: Replacing lace-up shoes with Velcro straps improves ease but does not address injury risk from harmful stimuli like heat. This action is unrelated to tactile or visual deficits’ safety concerns, making it an incorrect indicator of successful learning for the taught safety strategies.