Question

A client who has a diagnosis of depression is attending group therapy. During the group meeting, the nurse asks each member to identify one goal for the day. When it is the client's turn they do not respond. Which of the following actions should the nurse take before repeating the request to the client?

Answer 1

The nurse should provide a supportive statement acknowledging the difficulty of setting a goal and show empathy before repeating the request in a gentle and encouraging manner.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a client with a diagnosis of depression does not respond during a group therapy session when asked to identify a goal for the day, the nurse should first acknowledge the client's difficulty by making a supportive statement. This could involve the nurse expressing understanding of how hard it might be to come up with a goal. After providing this supportive environment, the nurse can then encourage the client to participate by gently rephrasing the question or offering a suggestion for a simple goal. It's important for the nurse to use empathy and patience, giving the client enough time to respond instead of quickly moving on or pressing for an answer.