Question

A client who is delusional says to the nurse, "Terrorists have been sent here to kill me." How should the nurse respond to the client?

A. "No one is going to kill you."
B. "Your medication is making you feel like this."
C. "Are you worried that people are trying to hurt you?"
D. "What makes you think that terrorists were sent to hurt you?"

Answer 1

The nurse should respond with option C, which acknowledges the patient's feelings without affirming or dismissing the delusion, and allows for therapeutic communication. It also provides a sense of safety and continued assessment of the client's mental health state while considering broader societal concerns about bioterrorism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate response for a nurse when a client believes that "Terrorists have been sent here to kill me" is C. "Are you worried that people are trying to hurt you?" This option addresses the patient's feelings without affirming the delusion or dismissing it outright.

It's important for nurses to provide a safe space for clients to express their fears without judgment. This allows for ongoing assessment of the client's mental state and can aid in therapeutic communication. When individuals make statements about terrorism or feel threatened, it can sometimes be linked to wider social concerns, such as the heightened awareness of global bioterrorism threats. Consequently, governments at all levels engage in terrorism drills to be prepared for such eventualities and to protect responders from harmful biological substances.