Chapter 4: The Interview Flashcards
The nurse is conducting an interview with a woman who has recently learned that she is pregnant and has come to the clinic to begin prenatal care. The woman states that she and her husband are excited about the pregnancy but have a few questions. She looks nervously at her hands during the interview and sighs audibly. Which of the following statements does the nurse know is most accurate, considering the concept of communication? The woman:
a. is excited about her pregnancy but nervous about labour.
b. is exhibiting verbal and nonverbal behaviours that do not match.
c. is excited about her pregnancy but her husband is not, and this is upsetting to her.
d. is not excited about her pregnancy but believes the nurse will respond negatively to her if she states this.
b.
Receiving is a vital part of the communication process. Which of receivers listed below is most likely to misinterpret a message sent by a health care professional?
a. A well-adjusted adolescent in for a sports-related physical examination
b. A recovering alcoholic in for a basic physical examination
c. A man whose wife has just been diagnosed with lung cancer
d. A hearing-impaired man who uses sign language to communicate and has an interpreter with him
c.
Because the physical environment in which an interview takes place is an important consideration for the success of the interview, the interviewer should:
a. reduce noise by turning off televisions and radios.
b. keep a distance of about 0.6 m (2 ft) or closer between himself or herself and the patient.
c. ensure dim lighting that makes the room cozier and will help the patient relax.
d. arrange seating across a desk or table to allow the patient some personal space.
a.
In an interview, the nurse may find it necessary to take notes to aid his or her memory later. Which of the following statements is true regarding note-taking?
a. Taking notes may impede the nurse’s observation of the patient’s nonverbal behaviours.
b. Taking notes allows the patient to continue at his or her own pace as the nurse records what is being said.
c. Taking notes allows the nurse to shift attention away from the patient, thus increasing the patient’s comfort level.
d. Taking notes allows the nurse to break eye contact with the patient, which may help increase the patient’s level of comfort.
a.
At which phase of the interview could the following statement be made? “Mr. S., I would like to ask you some questions about your health and your usual daily activities so that we can better plan your stay here.”
a. During the summary
b. While closing the interview
c. During the body of the interview
d. When opening/introducing the interview
d.
Mrs. H. has just entered the emergency department after being battered by her husband. The nurse will need to get some information from her before beginning treatment. What of the following is the best choice for an opening statement with this patient?
a. “Nancy, my name is Mrs. C.”
b. “Hello, Mrs. H., my name is Mrs. C. It sure is cold today!”
c. “Mrs. H., my name is Mrs. C. You sure look like you’re in pain. Can I get you anything?”
d. “Mrs. H., my name is Mrs. C. I’ll need to ask you a few questions about what happened.”
d.
During an interview, the nurse states: “You mentioned shortness of breath. Tell me more about that.” Identify the verbal skill used with this statement.
a. Reflection
b. Facilitation
c. Direct question
d. Open-ended question
d.
A patient has finished describing to the nurse the reason he is seeking care. When reviewing the data, the nurse finds that information about past hospitalizations is incomplete. Which of the following statements by the nurse would be most appropriate to obtain the missing data?
a. “Mr. Y., at your age, surely you have been hospitalized before!”
b. “Mr. Y., I need your permission to get your medical records from your local hospital.”
c. “Mr. Y., you mentioned that you have been hospitalized on several occasions. Would you tell me more about that?”
d. “Mr. Y., I need to get some additional information about your past hospitalizations. When was the last time you were admitted for chest pain?”
d.
Some verbal responses that assist the patient’s narrative focus on the patient’s frame of reference and some focus on the health care provider’s perspective. An example of a verbal response that focuses on the health care provider’s perspective would be:
a. empathy.
b. reflection.
c. facilitation.
d. confrontation.
d.
When taking history from a newly admitted patient, the nurse notices that he is pausing often and looking at the nurse expectantly. What would be the nurse’s best response to this behaviour?
a. Be silent and allow him to continue when he is ready.
b. Smile at him and say, “Don’t worry about all of this. I’m sure we can find out why you’re having these pains.”
c. Lean back in the chair and say, “Mr. J., you are looking at me kind of funny; there isn’t anything wrong, is there?”
d. Stand up and say, “I can see that this interview is uncomfortable for you. We can continue it another time.”
a.
A woman is describing the problems she is having with her 2-year-old son. “He won’t go to sleep at night, and during the day he has several fits. I get so upset when that happens.” The nurse’s best verbal response would be:
a. “Go on, I’m listening.”
b. “Fits? Tell me what you mean by this.”
c. “Yes, it can be upsetting when a child has a fit.”
d. “Don’t be upset when he has a fit; every 2-year-old has fits.”
b.
A 17-year-old single mother is describing how difficult it is to raise a 2-year-old by herself. During the course of the interview, she states, “I can’t believe my boyfriend left me to do this by myself! What a terrible thing to do to me!” Which of the following responses by the nurse uses empathy?
a. “You feel alone?”
b. “You can’t believe he left you alone.”
c. “It must be very hard to face this all by yourself.”
d. “I would be angry, too; raising a child by yourself is no picnic.”
c.
A man has been admitted to the observation unit after having been treated for a large cut on his forehead. As the nurse works through the interview, one of the standard questions has to do with alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. When the nurse asks him about tobacco use, he states, “I quit smoking after my wife died 7 years ago.” However, the nurse notices an open packet of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. If using confrontation as a response, the nurse could say:
a. “Mr. K., I know that you are lying.”
b. “Mr. K., come on, tell me how much you smoke.”
c. “Mr. K., I didn’t realize your wife had died. It must be difficult for you at this time. Please tell me more about that.”
d. “Mr. K., you have said that you don’t smoke, but I see that you have an open packet of cigarettes in your pocket.”
d.
When using interpretation as a response to a patient’s statement or actions, it would be best for the nurse to:
a. apologize because this could be demeaning for the patient.
b. allow the patient time to confirm or correct the inference.
c. continue with the interview as though nothing had happened.
d. immediately restate the conclusion after observing the patient’s nonverbal response.
b.
During an interview, a woman says, “I have decided that I can no longer allow my children to live with their father’s violence. I just can’t seem to be able to leave him though.” Using interpretation, the nurse’s best response would be:
a. “You’re going to leave him?”
b. “If you’re afraid for your children, why can’t you leave?”
c. “It sounds as if you might be afraid of how your husband will respond.”
d. “It sounds as though you have made your decision. I think it is a good one.”
c.
