Which strategies should a nurse use to improve time management? (Select all that apply)

Introduction:

Clinical safety protocols mandate that the immediate patient assessment must always occur following any unexpected adverse event. Before attempting to modify the nursing care plan or change clinical goals, the nurse must first evaluate the patient’s physical status, identify any new injuries, and ensure physiological stability.

A. Consulting physical therapy is an appropriate action to address long-term mobility issues after a fall. However, this is not the immediate next step. The nurse's first responsibility is to ensure the patient did not sustain physical harm during the fall, which requires a direct, comprehensive clinical evaluation.

B. Establishing a new plan of care is a reactive step that should only occur after a thorough investigation of the fall and an assessment of the patient's current status. Developing a new plan without first evaluating the patient's condition for acute injury would be premature and clinically irresponsible.

C. Setting new priorities is a necessary step in the revision of the care plan, but it cannot be the initial action. The clinical priority must always be the patient's immediate safety and health status following a trauma. Any changes to the care plan must be based on objective findings from the assessment.

D. Immediate patient evaluation is the standard, mandatory action following a fall. The nurse must perform a comprehensive physical examination to check for fractures, head trauma, or other acute injuries. This assessment provides the data necessary to determine the patient's condition before any further revisions to the care plan are made.

Introduction:

Therapeutic communication utilizes specific interpersonal interaction techniques to foster patient-centered care and improve health outcomes. Nurses must facilitate empathetic exchanges to validate feelings and encourage deeper exploration of the patient's emotional experiences.

A. Restating involves the nurse repeating the patient's exact words to ensure accurate understanding of the message delivered. It does not focus on the underlying emotional state or feelings associated with the news, but rather ensures the nurse has accurately heard the literal content expressed by the patient during the interaction.

B. Clarifying is a technique used when the nurse needs to seek more information or make a vague message more concise and understandable. While useful for gathering data, it does not specifically aim to identify or validate the emotional tone or the feeling behind the nonverbal behavior shown here.

C. Reflecting is a communication technique that validates patient feelings by identifying and expressing the emotions perceived in the patient's nonverbal cues, such as frowning and sighing. By mirroring the feeling of being overwhelmed, the nurse acknowledges the patient's emotional state, encouraging further discussion and demonstrating deep empathy for the patient.

D. Silence is a useful therapeutic tool that allows the patient time to organize their thoughts and process difficult emotions. However, it is a passive technique and does not actively identify, name, or validate the specific emotional state that the nurse observed, unlike the active engagement provided through a reflective statement.