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A 16-year-old girl with anorexia nervosa refuses to eat meals. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention?

a. Explain to the patient that she must eat three meals a day to be discharged.
b. Explain to the patient that she must eat everything she is served to be discharged.
c. Explain to the client that privileges and restrictions will be based on compliance with treatment and direct weight gain.
d. Tell the patient she will die if she doesn't eat.

User Mikeplate
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The most suitable intervention for a 16-year-old with anorexia nervosa is to align privileges and restrictions with compliance to treatment and weight gain, while providing holistic support and nutritional guidance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate nursing intervention for a 16-year-old girl with anorexia nervosa who refuses to eat meals would be option c: Explain to the client that privileges and restrictions will be based on compliance with treatment and direct weight gain. This approach would likely involve setting specific, measurable goals around eating and weight restoration, combined with a structured program that might include nutritional counseling, mental health support, and possibly medication.

Engaging the patient in their treatment plan and tying privileges to progress can help in creating a more collaborative atmosphere. It’s essential to address both the physical and psychological aspects of the eating disorder. Strict authoritarian or confrontational approaches, like the ones suggested in options a, b, and d, are generally not recommended as they can exacerbate resistance and may be counterproductive to the recovery process.

User Kanishka Vatsa
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