Question

a male client is admitted to a mental health unit on friday afternoon and is very upset on sunday because he has not had the opportunity to talk with the healthcare provider. which response is best for the nurse to provide this client?

let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider.
the healthcare provider should be here on monday morning.
how can i help answer your questions?
what concerns do you have at this time?

Explanation:

Analyze the client's underlying concern

The client is upset because he has not had the opportunity to speak with his healthcare provider since admission on Friday. The core issue is his immediate anxiety, distress, and unmet need for communication regarding his care.

Evaluate the communication options

• "Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider." / "The healthcare provider should be here on Monday morning.": These options defer the client's immediate needs to the future or to another provider, failing to address his current emotional state.
• "How can I help answer your questions?": While helpful, this is more closed and task-oriented compared to exploring the client's feelings.
• "What concerns do you have at this time?": This open-ended therapeutic response directly addresses the client's immediate anxiety, allows him to express his feelings, and enables the nurse to assess and intervene right now.

Select the best therapeutic response

The most therapeutic response is the open-ended question that focuses on the client's immediate feelings and concerns, which is "What concerns do you have at this time?".

Answer:

• (A) Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider.
• (B) The healthcare provider should be here on Monday morning.
• (C) How can I help answer your questions?
• (D) What concerns do you have at this time? (Correct answer)