Question

An agitated 80 year old patient states, "I'm having trouble with my bowels." Which response by the nurse incorporates the interviewing skill of paraphrasing? Select all that apply

1. "Tell me what you mean by having trouble"
2. "It sounds like your bowels are causing you problems"
3. "You sound upset that your bowels are causing difficulties"
4. "It's common to have problems with the bowels at your age"
5. "When did you first notice having trouble with your bowels?"

Answer 1

Paraphrasing involves restating the patient's concerns in the nurse's own words, and in this scenario, the appropriate responses are those that reflect understanding of the patient's issue with bowel troubles.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse uses the skill of paraphrasing, they restate the patient's concerns in their own words. The responses that incorporate paraphrasing in the scenario of the 80-year-old patient complaining of bowel troubles are:

• "It sounds like your bowels are causing you problems"
• "You sound upset that your bowles are causing difficulties"
• "When did you first notice having trouble with your bowels?"

Responses such as "Tell me what you mean by having trouble" and "It's common to have problems with the bowels at your age" do not paraphrase but rather ask for clarification and provide information without reflecting the patient's original statement.