Question

A client states to a nurse, "I feel as though I am the only one in the world feeling so depressed." The nurse responds, "I know what you mean." The nurse is obstructing communication in which of the following ways?

A. Making value judgements
B. Falsely reassuring the client
C. Minimizing feelings
D. Disapproving/Disagreeing

Answer 1

The nurse's response exemplifies 'minimizing feelings' as it dismisses the client's unique experience of depression and fails to validate their feelings, impeding proper communication and support.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse's response, "I know what you mean," when a client expresses feeling unique in their depression, is considered minimizing feelings.

By stating they know what the client means, the nurse unintentionally dismisses the client's personal experience of depression, potentially making the client feel that their feelings are not unique or serious.

This kind of response does not validate the client's feelings or encourage further communication about their depressive state. Instead, a more appropriate response would be for the nurse to show empathy and ask the client to share more about their feelings. This encourages the client to continue communicating and allows the nurse to provide better support.