Question

a young adult female client with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa wants to help serve dinner trays to other clients on a psychiatric unit. which action should the nurse take?

encourage the clients self-motivation by asking her to pass trays for the rest of the week.
provide an additional challenge by asking the client to help feed the older clients.
suggest another way for this client to participate in the units activities.
tell the client that hospital guidelines allow only staff to pass the trays.

Explanation:

Analyze client pathology and behavior

Clients with anorexia nervosa often exhibit a desire to handle, prepare, or serve food to others as a manifestation of their obsession with food and control, while avoiding eating themselves. Allowing the client to serve food reinforces this maladaptive behavior and food-related obsession.

Evaluate the intervention options

• Encouraging tray passing or feeding others directly supports and reinforces the client's food-focused obsession.
• Stating that "hospital guidelines allow only staff to pass the trays" is a direct, objective, and non-punitive way to set boundaries and redirect the client without reinforcing the pathology.

Select the correct nursing action

The nurse must set clear, consistent boundaries regarding food handling while maintaining a therapeutic environment. Stating the staff-only guideline is the most appropriate action.

Answer:

• Encourage the client's self-motivation by asking her to pass trays for the rest of the week.
• Provide an additional challenge by asking the client to help feed the older clients.
• Suggest another way for this client to participate in the unit's activities.
• Tell the client that hospital guidelines allow only staff to pass the trays. (Correct answer)