Chapter 09: Assertiveness: Your Responsibility Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing, 8th Edition

1. The instructor tells a nursing student to hurry with the assignment in order to help a classmate who is behind with work. The student has promised a patient she’d return in 15 minutes to polish the patient’s nails. Which response would be considered assertive? a. “Why me? I’m still busy with my own patients. Ask one of the others who are standing around at the nurses’ station.” b. “I suppose I can, if you insist.” c. “I’ve promised one of my patients that I’ll come back to polish her nails. I’d like to be able to keep that promise. Can you possibly ask someone else?” d. “I’ll be glad to help.” Then go and apologize to the patient, saying the instructor won’t let you polish her nails. ANS: C Telling the instructor of the promise and asking him or her to find someone else is an honest, positive response that protects one’s own rights but does not infringe on the rights of others. Asking “Why me?” and stating, “I’m still busy with my own patients. Ask one of the others who are standing around at the nurses’ station” is aggressive. The statement “I suppose I can, if you insist” is passive. Stating “I’ll be glad to help” and then apologizing to the patient saying the instructor won’t let you polish her nails is dishonest. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: pp. 123-125 OBJ: 2 TOP: Assertive behavior KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: N/A 2. A nursing student’s mother states, “I need you to watch your younger siblings while I play bingo.” The nursing student had planned to prepare for a unit examination. An assertive approach would be to say a. “What you’re asking isn’t fair. I have an examination to study for. You never win at bingo anyway.” b. “OK. If your bingo means more to you than my passing a big exam, I’ll watch the kids.” c. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll watch the kids if you’ll cook my favorite meal tomorrow night.” d. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to babysit. I have an examination tomorrow. I need the time tonight to study.”