Question

The multidisciplinary team decides to implement behavior modification with a client. Which of the following nursing actions is of primary importance during this time?

1) Confirm that all staff members understand and comply with the treatment plan.
2) Establish mutually agreed-upon, realistic goals.
3) Ensure that the potent reinforcers (rewards) are important to the client.
4) Establish a fixed interval schedule for reinforcement.

Answer 1

The primary nursing action when implementing behavior modification is to ensure all staff members understand and comply with the treatment plan. Consistent application of behavior modifications and meaningful reinforcers are also vital for successful intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a multidisciplinary team decides to implement behavior modification with a client, the primary nursing action of importance is to confirm that all staff members understand and comply with the treatment plan. This ensures consistency and reliability in the application of operant conditioning principles, which is vital for the success of the intervention. It is also essential that the potent reinforcers are important to the client and that mutually agreed-upon, realistic goals are established. However, establishing a fixed interval schedule for reinforcement is a specific strategy that might be applied later in the treatment plan.

Behavior modification is highly effective when reinforcements are significant to the client and consistently applied. For instance, a sticker chart might be beneficial for children, whereas adults might respond better to different forms of incentives. The reinforcement must matter to the individual, and it is crucial for the reinforcement to be connected directly with the desired behavior in order for the behavior modification to be effective.