RN Nursing · Therapeutic Communication · Practice question
The nurse is completing an admission assessment with a client. The client looked down and became tearful when asked about feeling safe at home. How would the nurse respond to the nonverbal communication displayed by the client?
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"You seem upset. You are safe here and can talk to me confidentially."
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"I am glad that you feel safe at home; everyone should feel safe at home."
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"Do you want me to call the police for you? You seem scared to be at home."
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"Is someone abusing you at home? I need to report this to the police."
Answer & explanation
Correct: "You seem upset. You are safe here and can talk to me confidentially."
When a client displays nonverbal cues such as looking down and becoming tearful in response to a question about home safety, the therapeutic nursing response acknowledges the observed behavior, expresses empathy, and creates a safe, non-coercive space for the client to share. Saying 'You seem upset. You are safe here and can talk to me confidentially' validates the emotional response the nurse has noticed and opens the door for the client to disclose concerns without pressure. Saying 'I am glad that you feel safe at home' completely misreads the nonverbal signals and may shut down communication; the client's behavior does not suggest they feel safe. Asking 'Do you want me to call the police?' is premature and presumptuous — no disclosure has been made, and this response could feel threatening or escalating to a client who is not yet ready to speak. Similarly, asking 'Is someone abusing you?' and immediately threatening to report to police is confrontational, may frighten the client into silence, and jumps to conclusions before information has been gathered. The correct response respects the client's pace, acknowledges nonverbal cues, and establishes psychological safety, which are hallmarks of therapeutic communication.
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