Question

A client states, "I am surprised that I couldn't even eat half my breakfast." Which statement by the nurse uses the interviewing skill of reflection? Select all that apply

1. "Let's talk about your inability to eat"
2. "What part of your breakfast were you able to eat?"
3. "You appear startled that you did not finish your tray of food"
4. "How long haha you been unable to eat most of your breakfast?"
5. "You seem surprised that you were unable to eat all of your breakfast."

Answer 1

Option 3) and 5). Reflective statements are those that mirror the client's emotions or words back to them to aid in understanding their experience better. In this scenario, the statements indicating the client's surprise about not finishing their breakfast demonstrate effective reflective communication by the nurse.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient shows surprise at not being able to eat, the nurse can utilize the reflection skill to support the patient in exploring their thoughts, emotions, and actions. In order to facilitate the client's reflection on their experience, reflection entails reflecting back to them your own words or feelings. Among the options provided, the statements by the nurse that uses reflection the most effectively would be:

1. "You appear startled that you did not finish your tray of food"
2. "You seem surprised that you were unable to eat all of your breakfast"

These statements acknowledge the client's emotion of surprise and gently guides the client to understand the situation better, potentially leading to a deeper conversation about the client's appetite or health concerns.