Practice Question
The nurse notices that a client is withdrawn and reluctant to speak during their initial assessment. What action(s) should the nurse take to promote a therapeutic environment? Select all that apply.
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Sit quietly with the client and allow time for them to speak.
Rationale:
🟦 Sitting quietly demonstrates presence, patience, and acceptance, which helps build trust and safety in a therapeutic relationship.
🟦 Allowing silence gives the client control over the pace of communication, which is especially important when a client feels withdrawn or anxious.
🟦 Asking about the client’s preference for timing or support respects autonomy and emotional readiness.
🟦 Offering options empowers the client and reduces feelings of pressure or vulnerability.
🟦 These approaches create a non-threatening, supportive environment that encourages eventual communication.
Begin discussing the client’s medical history to fill the silence.
🟦 Filling silence can feel overwhelming or dismissive to a withdrawn client.
🟦 It prioritizes task completion over emotional connection.
Tell the client, “I’ll come back when you’re ready to talk.”
🟦 This may be perceived as abandonment or rejection.
🟦 It removes the nurse’s therapeutic presence, which is essential early on.
Encourage the client to talk by asking multiple questions quickly.
🟦 Rapid questioning can increase anxiety and withdrawal.
🟦 It limits the client’s ability to process and respond thoughtfully.
Want to practice more questions like this?
This question is from Chamberlain mastery fundamentals exam which contains 77 questions.
More Questions from This Exam
A nurse is performing a comprehensive health assessment on an older adult female client. The client reports "urine leaking" when sneezing or laughing. Which action should the nurse take?
Answer Choices:
A nurse is caring for a group of clients. For which client should the nurse provide education about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?
Answer Choices:
A nurse evaluates a client with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who voided 60 mL four hours after removal of an indwelling catheter. The client reports suprapubic discomfort. A bladder scan reveals 400 mL of retained urine. Which conclusion should the nurse make from this finding?
Answer Choices:
A nurse is implementing a plan of care for a postoperative client to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Which intervention(s) should be included to promote circulation? Select all that apply.
Answer Choices:
Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Fundamentals
- Answer Choices: 5