Chapter 09: Communication and the Therapeutic Relationship
1. A nurse has engaged in self-awareness and has come to understand his own personal
beliefs and
attitudes and hasrecognized some prejudicial ideas. Based on this understanding, which of
the
following would the nurse now be able to accomplish?
A) Have a therapeutic relationship with a patient.
B) Influence patients with certain biases.
C) Change learned behaviors.
D) Formulate values and morals.
2. When engaged in therapeutic communication in a therapeutic relationship with a patient
with a mental
health problem, which of the following would be most important for the nurse to keep in
mind?
A) The nurse should self-disclose when indicated.
B) The patient is the primary focus of the interaction.
C) The nurse should have an empathetic relationship with the patient.
D) The patient‟s conversations should be recorded.
3. A hospitalized patient diagnosed with depression asks the nurse, Should I go home this
weekend?
Which response by the nurse uses the technique of reflection?
A) Should you go home for the weekend?
B) Home means what to you?
C) It sounds as if you don‟t want to go home this weekend.
D) I doubt that you really should go home this weekend.
4. A patient who is hospitalized with depression tells the nurse, I don‟t want to take the
medication
because I‟m afraid I‟ll become suicidal. Which response by the nurse would be most
appropriate?
A) Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?
B) It‟simportant that you take this medication.
C) I agree with you. I wouldn‟t want to take this medication either.
D) Another patient took that medication, and he really felt better.
5. A female psychiatric patient istalking to the nurse about her reasons for being
hospitalized. She begins
to discuss her relationship with her female significant other. The patient is describing the
things in her
relationship that are making her uncomfortable, and she asks the nurse, Should I break up
with my
partner? Which response by the nurse would be most effective in building rapport between
the patient
and nurse?
A) Of course you should; being a lesbian is just not natural.
B) Yes, I think you should pursue building a relationship with a man.
C) Itsoundslike you‟re beginning to be uncomfortable in this relationship.
D) You need to focus on yourself rather than the relationship right now.
6. A patient is talking to the nurse about the recent death of her grandmother. She is
obviously very sad,
, and a tear rolls down her cheek as she talks. The nurse remembers how she felt when her
own
grandmother died the previous summer. The nurse puts her hand on the patient‟s shoulder
and says,
This must be very difficult for you. The nurse is demonstrating empathy based on which of
the
following?
A) The response comment reflects an attempt to communicate understanding of patient‟s
feelings.
B) The nurse‟s response and use of reassuring touch reinforce the nurse‟s concern for the
patient.
C) The nurse demonstrates understanding of how the patient feels because of her own
grandmother‟s
death.
D) The nurse‟s statement expresses compassion and kindnesstoward the patient.
34
7. A nurse engaged in an interaction with a patient recognizes body space zones. Which of
the following
would the nurse identify as the individual‟s personal zone?
A) Beginning at the boundary of the intimate zone and ending at the social zone
B) Extending outward from the border to the public zone
C) Surrounding and protecting an individual from others, especially outsiders
D) The most distant boundary that can be used for recognizing intruders
8. The nurse is in the orientation phase of the nursepatient relationship with a patient
diagnosed with a
mental disorder. When interviewing the patient during thisfirst encounter, which information
would be
most important for the nurse to obtain about the patient?
A) Known allergies
B) Recent hospitalizations
C) Perception of the problem
D) Family history
9. A patient is a successful insurance salesman; however, because of market changes, his
level of sales has
dropped. His boss tells him he will consequently be receiving a $2,000 per year cut in his
salary. When
the patient arrives home from work, the family dog runs to greet him as he always does,
barking and
jumping up and down and begging for attention. The patient yells at the dog, Get away from
me; I can‟t
take your barking right now. The patient‟sresponse reflects a defense mechanism because it
was which
of the following?
A) An intentional behavior performed to let the dog know his behavior wasinappropriate
B) Automatic, protecting the patient from the anxiety related to his upcoming pay cut
C) Implemented to keep the patient from having to cope with his upcoming pay cut
D) Implemented so the patient could rationalize his upcoming pay cut
1. A nurse has engaged in self-awareness and has come to understand his own personal
beliefs and
attitudes and hasrecognized some prejudicial ideas. Based on this understanding, which of
the
following would the nurse now be able to accomplish?
A) Have a therapeutic relationship with a patient.
B) Influence patients with certain biases.
C) Change learned behaviors.
D) Formulate values and morals.
2. When engaged in therapeutic communication in a therapeutic relationship with a patient
with a mental
health problem, which of the following would be most important for the nurse to keep in
mind?
A) The nurse should self-disclose when indicated.
B) The patient is the primary focus of the interaction.
C) The nurse should have an empathetic relationship with the patient.
D) The patient‟s conversations should be recorded.
3. A hospitalized patient diagnosed with depression asks the nurse, Should I go home this
weekend?
Which response by the nurse uses the technique of reflection?
A) Should you go home for the weekend?
B) Home means what to you?
C) It sounds as if you don‟t want to go home this weekend.
D) I doubt that you really should go home this weekend.
4. A patient who is hospitalized with depression tells the nurse, I don‟t want to take the
medication
because I‟m afraid I‟ll become suicidal. Which response by the nurse would be most
appropriate?
A) Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?
B) It‟simportant that you take this medication.
C) I agree with you. I wouldn‟t want to take this medication either.
D) Another patient took that medication, and he really felt better.
5. A female psychiatric patient istalking to the nurse about her reasons for being
hospitalized. She begins
to discuss her relationship with her female significant other. The patient is describing the
things in her
relationship that are making her uncomfortable, and she asks the nurse, Should I break up
with my
partner? Which response by the nurse would be most effective in building rapport between
the patient
and nurse?
A) Of course you should; being a lesbian is just not natural.
B) Yes, I think you should pursue building a relationship with a man.
C) Itsoundslike you‟re beginning to be uncomfortable in this relationship.
D) You need to focus on yourself rather than the relationship right now.
6. A patient is talking to the nurse about the recent death of her grandmother. She is
obviously very sad,
, and a tear rolls down her cheek as she talks. The nurse remembers how she felt when her
own
grandmother died the previous summer. The nurse puts her hand on the patient‟s shoulder
and says,
This must be very difficult for you. The nurse is demonstrating empathy based on which of
the
following?
A) The response comment reflects an attempt to communicate understanding of patient‟s
feelings.
B) The nurse‟s response and use of reassuring touch reinforce the nurse‟s concern for the
patient.
C) The nurse demonstrates understanding of how the patient feels because of her own
grandmother‟s
death.
D) The nurse‟s statement expresses compassion and kindnesstoward the patient.
34
7. A nurse engaged in an interaction with a patient recognizes body space zones. Which of
the following
would the nurse identify as the individual‟s personal zone?
A) Beginning at the boundary of the intimate zone and ending at the social zone
B) Extending outward from the border to the public zone
C) Surrounding and protecting an individual from others, especially outsiders
D) The most distant boundary that can be used for recognizing intruders
8. The nurse is in the orientation phase of the nursepatient relationship with a patient
diagnosed with a
mental disorder. When interviewing the patient during thisfirst encounter, which information
would be
most important for the nurse to obtain about the patient?
A) Known allergies
B) Recent hospitalizations
C) Perception of the problem
D) Family history
9. A patient is a successful insurance salesman; however, because of market changes, his
level of sales has
dropped. His boss tells him he will consequently be receiving a $2,000 per year cut in his
salary. When
the patient arrives home from work, the family dog runs to greet him as he always does,
barking and
jumping up and down and begging for attention. The patient yells at the dog, Get away from
me; I can‟t
take your barking right now. The patient‟sresponse reflects a defense mechanism because it
was which
of the following?
A) An intentional behavior performed to let the dog know his behavior wasinappropriate
B) Automatic, protecting the patient from the anxiety related to his upcoming pay cut
C) Implemented to keep the patient from having to cope with his upcoming pay cut
D) Implemented so the patient could rationalize his upcoming pay cut
