Question

After being notified that her husband died of heart failure, a wife approaches the nurse who cared for her husband and in the hospital hallway shouts angrily, He'd still be alive if you'd given him your undivided attention! Select the nurse's best response.

a. I understand you're feeling upset. Let's go to our conference room, and I'll stay with you until your family comes.
b. Your husband's heart was severely damaged and could no longer pump. There's nothing anyone could have done.
c. I will call the nursing supervisor to discuss this matter with you.
d. It will be all right if you cry. Crying is a normal grief response.

Answer 1

The nurse's best response to the grieving wife's accusation is to express understanding and offer to stay with her in a private room until her family arrives, as it shows compassion without invalidating the wife's emotions or debating the care provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response for a nurse to give in the scenario where a grieving wife is upset over her husband's death and accuses the nurse of not providing undivided attention is option A: I understand you're feeling upset. Let's go to our conference room, and I'll stay with you until your family comes. This response is professional and demonstrates empathy towards the wife, while also offering a private space for her to process her emotions and receive the support she needs. It acknowledges the widow's grief but doesn't argue about the care her husband received, thus avoiding additional stress in a highly emotional situation.

Responses that offer explanations about the husband's condition or suggest a discussion with a supervisor may seem defensive or dismissive, which could exacerbate the wife's distress. Encouraging the wife to cry, while recognizing a normal grief response, doesn't directly address the wife's immediate emotional need for support and understanding in the context of her husband's passing.