MED-SURG (VNSG 1429) CH. 5 -THE NURSE-
PATIENT RELATIONSHIP- NCLEX-STYLE
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Which statement by the nurse indicates a need for further teaching on self-
awareness?
A) "I know my strengths and limitations."
B) "My past may affect my reactions to certain situations."
C) "I need to examine my attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and opinions."
D) "Congruency between my verbal and nonverbal communication is not
important." - ANSWER D) "Congruency between my verbal and nonverbal
communication is not important."
A nurse needs to be self-aware and explore and assess how areas may
affect communication. Self-awareness involves knowledge, experience,
values, beliefs, perceptions, strengths, and weaknesses. All of these can
affect the therapeutic environment. Past unresolved experiences may be
emotionally laden. Congruency of verbal and nonverbal communication is
important because if they are not congruent, it sends a mixed
message.REF: pp. 58, 62
The nurse is working with an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to care
for a patient with hepatic cirrhosis caused by chronic alcoholism. The UAP
says to the nurse, "I don't know why we bother to care for this patient. He
did this to himself." The nurse should base the response on which
concept?
A) Patients should not be judged by the staff.
B) It is not the nurse's job to correct the UAP.
C) All staff members are entitled to their own opinion.
,D) The UAP's actions are more important than her words. - ANSWER A)
Patients should not be judged by the staff.
A nonjudgmental attitude of caring is essential to the practice of nursing.
Although staff are entitled to their opinion, it is the nurse's responsibility to
advocate for the patient; this requires correcting the UAP. Other co-
workers, patients, and families may hear the UAP being disrespectful
toward the patient.REF: p. 57, 61, 62
Which statement is correct concerning language and use of interpreters in
the health care system?
A) Not using an interpreter can lead to errors.
B) Family members can serve as interpreters in federally funded programs.
C) Family members and nonmedical personnel will correctly relay all
information.
D) Nurses can assume that English is the primary language because the
patient lives in the United States. - ANSWER A) Not using an interpreter
can lead to errors.
Failure to use an interpreter has been identified as a factor in errors that
are made in health care. A federally funded program is required to provide
interpreters. Unless the patient reports speaking English very well, an
interpreter should be offered. Family and nonmedical personnel may help
with everyday conversation but may not relay medical information correctly.
Not all individuals who live in the United States use English as the primary
language.REF: pp. 62, 64
The nurse is working with patients with Alzheimer disease at a long-term
care facility. At lunchtime, the nurse enters the room of a patient, who has
been in the facility for 10 years, to take him to the dining room in his
wheelchair. How should the nurse address the patient?
A) "Honey" to make him feel that he is cared for and loved.
B) "Mr." because he is a patient and should be treated with respect.
C) By his first name because he has been in the facility for 10 years and is
like family to the nurse.
D) "Honey," "Mr.," and by his first name are all acceptable ways to address
the patient because he does not respond. - ANSWER B) "Mr." because he
is a patient and should be treated with respect.
, Unless the patient has expressly stated that he would prefer to be
addressed by his first name only, the nurse should address him respectfully
with the title "Mr." Regardless of length of stay or ability to respond, the
nurse should not address the patient with his first name unless he has told
the nurse to do so, and there is no evidence of this in the question. Terms
of endearment such as honey, baby, sweetie, and others are never
acceptable ways to address a patient; it is demeaning and disrespectful to
address older adults as if they were children.REF: p. 59
Which activities promote effective communication?
(Select all that apply.)
A) Listening
B) Observing
C) Establishing trust
D) Assertive communication
E) Aggressive communication
F) Ignoring the patient's culture - ANSWER A) Listening
B) Observing
C) Establishing trust
D) Assertive communication
Two parts of effective communication are listening and observation.
Effective communication requires having a trusting relationship. Assertive
communication allows an individual to express help without hurting another
person. Aggressive communication violates the rights of another person.
Ignoring the patient's cultural background could be a barrier to
communication.REF: pp. 61-64
The nurse is caring for a 15-year-old patient who was admitted with
diabetic ketoacidosis and subsequently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
The nurse understands that a major issue that affects the patient's safety is
compliance with treatment. What is the best way for the nurse to facilitate
the patient's compliance with treatment?
A) Send the patient to diabetes education classes while in the hospital.
B) Educate the patient's parents on how to control the patient's diabetes.
C) Provide the patient with detailed instructions on how to care for
diabetes.
PATIENT RELATIONSHIP- NCLEX-STYLE
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Which statement by the nurse indicates a need for further teaching on self-
awareness?
A) "I know my strengths and limitations."
B) "My past may affect my reactions to certain situations."
C) "I need to examine my attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and opinions."
D) "Congruency between my verbal and nonverbal communication is not
important." - ANSWER D) "Congruency between my verbal and nonverbal
communication is not important."
A nurse needs to be self-aware and explore and assess how areas may
affect communication. Self-awareness involves knowledge, experience,
values, beliefs, perceptions, strengths, and weaknesses. All of these can
affect the therapeutic environment. Past unresolved experiences may be
emotionally laden. Congruency of verbal and nonverbal communication is
important because if they are not congruent, it sends a mixed
message.REF: pp. 58, 62
The nurse is working with an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to care
for a patient with hepatic cirrhosis caused by chronic alcoholism. The UAP
says to the nurse, "I don't know why we bother to care for this patient. He
did this to himself." The nurse should base the response on which
concept?
A) Patients should not be judged by the staff.
B) It is not the nurse's job to correct the UAP.
C) All staff members are entitled to their own opinion.
,D) The UAP's actions are more important than her words. - ANSWER A)
Patients should not be judged by the staff.
A nonjudgmental attitude of caring is essential to the practice of nursing.
Although staff are entitled to their opinion, it is the nurse's responsibility to
advocate for the patient; this requires correcting the UAP. Other co-
workers, patients, and families may hear the UAP being disrespectful
toward the patient.REF: p. 57, 61, 62
Which statement is correct concerning language and use of interpreters in
the health care system?
A) Not using an interpreter can lead to errors.
B) Family members can serve as interpreters in federally funded programs.
C) Family members and nonmedical personnel will correctly relay all
information.
D) Nurses can assume that English is the primary language because the
patient lives in the United States. - ANSWER A) Not using an interpreter
can lead to errors.
Failure to use an interpreter has been identified as a factor in errors that
are made in health care. A federally funded program is required to provide
interpreters. Unless the patient reports speaking English very well, an
interpreter should be offered. Family and nonmedical personnel may help
with everyday conversation but may not relay medical information correctly.
Not all individuals who live in the United States use English as the primary
language.REF: pp. 62, 64
The nurse is working with patients with Alzheimer disease at a long-term
care facility. At lunchtime, the nurse enters the room of a patient, who has
been in the facility for 10 years, to take him to the dining room in his
wheelchair. How should the nurse address the patient?
A) "Honey" to make him feel that he is cared for and loved.
B) "Mr." because he is a patient and should be treated with respect.
C) By his first name because he has been in the facility for 10 years and is
like family to the nurse.
D) "Honey," "Mr.," and by his first name are all acceptable ways to address
the patient because he does not respond. - ANSWER B) "Mr." because he
is a patient and should be treated with respect.
, Unless the patient has expressly stated that he would prefer to be
addressed by his first name only, the nurse should address him respectfully
with the title "Mr." Regardless of length of stay or ability to respond, the
nurse should not address the patient with his first name unless he has told
the nurse to do so, and there is no evidence of this in the question. Terms
of endearment such as honey, baby, sweetie, and others are never
acceptable ways to address a patient; it is demeaning and disrespectful to
address older adults as if they were children.REF: p. 59
Which activities promote effective communication?
(Select all that apply.)
A) Listening
B) Observing
C) Establishing trust
D) Assertive communication
E) Aggressive communication
F) Ignoring the patient's culture - ANSWER A) Listening
B) Observing
C) Establishing trust
D) Assertive communication
Two parts of effective communication are listening and observation.
Effective communication requires having a trusting relationship. Assertive
communication allows an individual to express help without hurting another
person. Aggressive communication violates the rights of another person.
Ignoring the patient's cultural background could be a barrier to
communication.REF: pp. 61-64
The nurse is caring for a 15-year-old patient who was admitted with
diabetic ketoacidosis and subsequently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
The nurse understands that a major issue that affects the patient's safety is
compliance with treatment. What is the best way for the nurse to facilitate
the patient's compliance with treatment?
A) Send the patient to diabetes education classes while in the hospital.
B) Educate the patient's parents on how to control the patient's diabetes.
C) Provide the patient with detailed instructions on how to care for
diabetes.
