the nurse has just admitted a client with severe depression from which focus should the nurse identify a priority nursing diagnosis
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Nursing Elites

NCLEX-RN

NCLEX Psychosocial Questions

1. The nurse has just admitted a client with severe depression. From which focus should the nurse identify a priority nursing diagnosis?

Correct answer: Safety

Rationale: In caring for a client with severe depression, ensuring safety is a top priority. Suicide prevention measures must be incorporated into the care plan as individuals with depression are at increased risk. While nutrition, elimination, and activity are important aspects of care, safety takes precedence due to the critical need to prevent harm or self-harm in depressed individuals.

2. When a client who has had a mastectomy sees her incision for the first time, she exclaims, 'I look horrible! Will it ever look better?' Which response would the nurse provide?

Correct answer: 'You seem shocked by the way you look now.'

Rationale: The correct response, 'You seem shocked by the way you look now,' acknowledges the client's feelings and provides an opportunity for the client to express emotions freely. This reflection of feelings may help promote eventual acceptance of body image changes. Choices B, C, and D provide false reassurance and negate the client's feelings. Saying that the area will heal quickly now that the tumor is gone dismisses the client's concerns. Similarly, stating that others won’t know about the surgery or that the client will feel better once the swelling subsides does not address the client's current emotional state and may undermine trust in the nurse-client relationship.

3. Which intervention would the nurse use to provide emotional support for a resident in a nursing home who recently immigrated from another country?

Correct answer: Offer choices consistent with the resident's heritage.

Rationale: When providing emotional support to a resident in a nursing home who recently immigrated from another country, it is essential for the nurse to offer choices that align with the resident's heritage. This approach respects the resident's cultural beliefs and practices, promoting a sense of familiarity and comfort. Assisting the resident in adjusting to the nursing home culture is important but may not address the specific emotional support needed. While ensuring that the resident is treated respectfully is crucial, offering choices consistent with the resident's heritage goes a step further by acknowledging and valuing the resident's cultural background. Correcting any misconceptions about health practices is essential, but in this context, emotional support through cultural sensitivity takes precedence.

4. A newly diagnosed client with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) comments to the nurse, 'There are so many rotten people around. Why couldn’t one of them get HIV instead of me?' Which statement is the nurse‘s best response?

Correct answer: 'It seems unfair that you contracted this disorder.'

Rationale: The client is expressing feelings of unfairness and questioning why they have HIV. The nurse's best response is to acknowledge the client's emotions. Choice B, 'It seems unfair that you contracted this disorder,' reflects empathy and validates the client's feelings, which can help them move towards acceptance. Choice A, 'I can understand why you are afraid of dying,' introduces the topic of death, which may not be the primary concern at this stage. Choice C, 'Do you really wish this disorder on someone else?' is judgmental and could induce guilt in the client. Choice D, 'Have you thought of speaking with your religious adviser?' deflects the conversation and does not address the client's current emotional needs.

5. Nursing behaviors associated with the implementation phase of the nursing process are concerned with:

Correct answer: carrying out interventions and coordinating care.

Rationale: During the implementation phase of the nursing process, nurses focus on executing interventions and coordinating care. This involves utilizing available resources, performing necessary interventions, exploring alternatives when needed, and collaborating with other healthcare team members to ensure comprehensive care delivery. Choice A is incorrect as it pertains more to the planning phase where patient outcomes are identified. Choice B is incorrect as it relates to data collection, which is primarily a part of the assessment phase. Choice C is incorrect as it involves evaluating patient responses against expected outcomes, which is part of the evaluation phase.

Similar Questions

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