RN Nursing · Violence, Abuse, and Neglect · Practice question
The nurse is interviewing a woman who is experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Which therapeutic communication technique(s) should the nurse use to encourage the client's self-expression? Select all that apply.
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Avoid direct eye contact when communicating with the client.
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✓
Reassure the client that she is doing her best in a difficult situation.
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✓
Restate the client's statements to verify her feelings.
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✓
Explore the choices that are currently available to the client.
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Confront irrational beliefs to help the client visualize solutions.
Answer & explanation
Correct: Reassure the client that she is doing her best in a difficult situation. · Restate the client's statements to verify her feelings. · Explore the choices that are currently available to the client.
When interviewing a client experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), the nurse's communication must build trust, validate the client's experience, and empower her to explore options. Reassuring the client that she is doing her best in a difficult situation validates her efforts and reduces shame, which is essential because many IPV survivors carry intense guilt. Restating the client's statements to verify her feelings confirms that the nurse is listening accurately and helps the client feel understood and less isolated. Exploring the choices currently available to the client is empowering and supports her autonomy without pressuring her — a key principle in IPV care, since coercion can mirror the abusive dynamic she is trying to escape. Avoiding direct eye contact is incorrect; maintaining appropriate eye contact conveys attentiveness and respect and is a fundamental therapeutic communication technique. Confronting irrational beliefs is also incorrect in this context because it can feel judgmental, may damage rapport, and replicates the controlling behavior the client is experiencing at home. Clients must reach their own conclusions at their own pace; confrontation is not appropriate during initial therapeutic engagement with an IPV survivor. The keyed answer is correct.
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