Chapter 3 - Interviewing and Communication

Personal health history

A client admitted to the health care facility for new onset of abdominal pain expresses to the nurse that she was treated for gastroesophageal reflux disease in the past. In which section of the comprehensive health assessment should the nurse document this information?

health maintenance

A client is unable to recall the last time an immunization was received. Which part of the client's health should the nurse realize is being the most impacted by this practice?

Lifestyle and health practices profile

A nurse assesses a client with regard to nutritional habits, use of substances, education, and work and stress levels. The nurse recognizes this as what type of information?

Circle

A nurse is creating a genogram of a client's family health history. The nurse should use which of the following symbols to denote the client's female relatives?

last surgery date validated by adult daughter

An older client cannot recall the date of a surgical procedure but the adult daughter interjects with the exact date because it occurred a week before her wedding. How should the nurse document this information?

"You seem bothered by this question."

The nurse has just asked a client how he feels about his emphysema. He becomes silent, folds his arms across his chest, and leans back in his chair. Then the client replies "It is what it is." How should the nurse respond?

allow the client to verbalize his or her feelings.

The nurse is beginning a health history interview with an adult client who expresses anger at the nurse. The best approach for dealing with an angry client is for the nurse to

Developmental level Family history Reasons for seeking care Biographical data

The nurse is engaged in the working phase of a client interview. Which activities will the nurse complete during this phase? Select all that apply.

coping-stress-tolerance

The nurse learns that a client is unable to sleep because of high anxiety. On which category of health patterns should the nurse focus?

establish a trusting relationship

When beginning the collection of the client data base, which of the following would be most important for the nurse to do?

False

When interviewing a client with a language barrier, it is best to use a family member to help interpret so the client has a level of comfort with the process.

clarify

While interviewing a client, the nurse asks, "What happens when you have low blood glucose?" This type of response to the client is used for what purpose?

Working

During the client interview, the nurse asks specific questions such as "What were you doing when the pain started?" or "Was the pain relieved when you rested?" In what phase of the interview is the nurse involved?

Active listening

A nurse is interviewing an adult client who had a miscarriage 3 weeks ago. The woman is crying and is having difficulty talking. The nurse moves closer and places a hand on the woman's hand. What type of communication is this?

Establishing a trusting relationship

A nurse is preparing to assess a client who is new to the clinic. When beginning the collection of the client database, which of the following actions should the nurse prioritize?

"What diseases did you have as a child?"

A nurse is discussing with a client the client's personal health history. Which of the following would be an appropriate question to ask at this time?

Rephrasing

A nurse is interviewing a 16-year-old girl regarding her health history. When inquiring about her chief complaint, the girl lowers her voice and says, "I've been with a guy recently, and I'm worried that I might have caught something from him." The nurse responds by saying, "So, you're concerned that you may have a sexually transmitted infection?" Which verbal communication technique is the nurse using here?

"Do you perform any sustained or continually repetitive motions with that arm?"

A nurse is interviewing a man complaining of a pain in his shoulder. The nurse asks him where exactly the pain is, and he points to a spot on the lateral, posterior upper arm. The nurse has seen similar cases in other clients and recognizes that is likely from prolonged work at a computer, particularly using a mouse. Which of the following is the most effective use of inferring that the nurse might implement in this situation?

"Mrs. Smith, I would like to conduct an interview with you but I see you have visitors. I will come back in about 30 minutes so you can visit before you and I sit privately to talk."

A nurse knocks and enters a client room, makes introductions to the client and visitors, and explains to the client that she would like to conduct an interview so a plan of care can be completed. Which statement by the nurse would be most appropriate?

provide the client with information as questions arise.

During the interview of an adult client, the nurse should