The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a client on the behavioral health unit with depression and anxiety. Which goal of therapeutic communication will the nurse prioritize?

Implement interventions designed to address the client’s needs

Teach the client necessary self-care skills

Facilitate the client’s expression of emotions

Establish a therapeutic nurse-client relationship

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Implementing interventions addresses specific needs but is not the primary goal of therapeutic communication during admission. Interventions follow after building trust, as depression and anxiety require a strong therapeutic alliance to ensure effective treatment engagement, making this a secondary priority at this stage.

Choice B reason: Teaching self-care skills is important for long-term management but not the initial communication goal. Clients with depression and anxiety need trust and emotional safety first to engage in learning, making skill-building secondary to establishing a therapeutic relationship during the admission assessment.

Choice C reason: Facilitating emotional expression is a key component of therapeutic communication but depends on a trusting relationship. Without a strong nurse-client bond, clients with depression and anxiety may resist sharing emotions, making this goal important but secondary to establishing rapport during the initial assessment.

Choice D reason: Establishing a therapeutic nurse-client relationship is the priority during admission, as it builds trust and safety, critical for clients with depression and anxiety. This foundation enables emotional expression, engagement in interventions, and skill-building, ensuring effective communication and treatment adherence, making it the primary goal in this context.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: Assault involves threatening harm, not applicable here, as the issue is failure to document assessments, not intentional threats by staff. The client’s self-harm resulted from inadequate monitoring, not a staff-initiated threat, making assault an incorrect legal issue in this scenario.

Choice B reason: Battery involves unauthorized physical contact, not relevant to failure to document assessments. The client’s self-harm stemmed from inadequate observation, not staff-inflicted harm, making battery an inappropriate legal claim compared to negligence in monitoring and documentation.

Choice C reason: Suicide risk is a clinical concern, not a legal issue to defend against. While the client’s self-harm indicates risk, the hospital’s liability arises from failure to follow monitoring protocols, not the risk itself, making this option incorrect for the legal defense context.

Choice D reason: Malpractice involves negligence, such as failing to document hourly assessments for a high-risk client, leading to harm. This breach of standard care (1:1 observation) allowed self-harm, making the hospital liable for not adhering to protocols, requiring defense against malpractice for inadequate monitoring and documentation.

A. Take the client’s blood pressure in the left arm B. Keep the AV fistula site dry C. Keep the AV fistula wrapped in gauze D. Assess the AV fistula for bruit and thrill

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: Taking blood pressure in the left arm with an AV fistula risks compressing the fistula, potentially causing thrombosis or damage. This can impair dialysis access, leading to inadequate treatment and complications like uremia or fluid overload. Blood pressure should be measured in the opposite arm to protect the fistula.

Choice B reason: Keeping the AV fistula site dry is important to prevent infection, as moisture can promote bacterial growth. However, it is not the priority over ensuring fistula patency, which is critical for effective dialysis. Infection prevention is secondary to confirming the fistula’s functionality to avoid life-threatening dialysis interruptions.

Choice C reason: Wrapping the AV fistula in gauze is not standard practice unless post-surgical or infected. Excessive wrapping may obscure the site, hindering patency assessments, and could increase infection risk if not changed properly. This action is less critical than ensuring the fistula’s functionality for dialysis.

Choice D reason: Assessing the AV fistula for bruit (whooshing sound) and thrill (vibration) confirms patency, ensuring it is functional for dialysis. A non-patent fistula prevents effective toxin and fluid removal, leading to uremia, hyperkalemia, or fluid overload. This assessment is the priority to ensure life-sustaining dialysis can proceed without complications.

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The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a client on the behavioral health unit with depression and anxiety. Which goal of therapeutic communication will the nurse prioritize?

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A client with a history of chronic renal failure receives hemodialysis treatment three times per week through an arteriovenous (AV) fistula in the left arm. Which priority intervention should the nurse include in the care plan?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

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