Nursing Elites

1. A client who has multiple sclerosis is admitted to the hospital with increasingly frequent and severe exacerbations. One day, the client's partner confides to the nurse, 'Life is getting very hard and depressing, and I am upset with myself for thinking about a nursing home.' After listening to the partner's concerns, which response would the nurse make?

• A. 'Joining a support group of people who are coping with this situation may be helpful.'
• B. 'You may be able to decrease your feelings of guilt by seeking counseling.'
• C. 'It would be helpful if you became involved in volunteer work at this time.'
• D. 'I recognize it's hard to deal with, but try to remember that this, too, shall pass.'

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Joining a support group of individuals facing similar circumstances can provide valuable support and the opportunity to share experiences, making it the most appropriate response. The response suggesting counseling to decrease feelings of guilt is premature because the partner did not directly express guilt and it may not be the most immediate need. Suggesting involvement in volunteer work at this time fails to address the partner's current emotional distress and may come across as dismissive. Offering false reassurance by stating 'this, too, shall pass' does not validate the partner's feelings and minimizes the seriousness of their concerns.

2. A staff nurse expresses frustration that a Native American patient always has several family members at the bedside. Which action by the charge nurse is most appropriate?

• A. Remind the nurse that family support is important to this family and patient.
• B. Have the nurse explain to the family that too many visitors will tire the patient.
• C. Suggest that the nurse ask family members to leave the room during patient care.
• D. Ask about the nurse's personal beliefs about family support during hospitalization.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The first step in providing culturally competent care is to understand one's own beliefs and values related to health and health care. Asking the nurse about personal beliefs will help achieve this step. Reminding the nurse that this cultural practice is important to the family and patient will not decrease the nurse's frustration. The remaining responses, such as suggesting that the nurse ask family members to leave the room or having the nurse explain to the family that too many visitors will tire the patient, are not culturally appropriate for this patient.

3. Which of these is a one-on-one communication between the nurse and another person?

• A. Small-group communication
• B. Intrapersonal communication
• C. Interpersonal communication
• D. Transpersonal communication

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Interpersonal communication is a one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another person that often occurs face-to-face. It involves direct communication between two individuals. Small-group communication involves interaction among a small number of people, not just one-on-one. Intrapersonal communication is internal communication that occurs within an individual's mind. Transpersonal communication involves interactions within a person's spiritual domain, which is beyond individual one-on-one communication.

4. Which behavior is most typical for clients with borderline personality disorder?

• A. Arrogant
• B. Eccentric
• C. Impulsive
• D. Dependent

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Impulsive.' Clients with borderline personality disorder often exhibit impulsive, potentially self-damaging behaviors. Arrogance is more characteristic of narcissistic personality disorder, eccentric behavior aligns with schizotypal personality disorder, and dependent behavior is typical of dependent personality disorder. Therefore, the key feature of borderline personality disorder is impulsivity.

5. What psychodynamic process is suggested by a client calling the emergency department during a suicide attempt?

• A. A cry for help
• B. A need for attention
• C. Ambivalence about dying
• D. An inability to stick to a decision

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Ambivalence about dying.' When a client calls the emergency department during a suicide attempt, it suggests conflicting feelings about living and dying. This act can indicate an unconscious desire to be stopped from dying, showing ambivalence between the wish to die and the wish to live. It is not primarily a cry for attention or a need to punish others. The client's intention of suicide alongside seeking help demonstrates the struggle between life and death, making ambivalence the key psychodynamic process at play.

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