Question 1

A 16-year-old boy has just been admitted to the hospital for overnight observation after being in an automobile accident. What is the best approach for the nurse to use to communicate with him?

Accepted Answer

A)  Use periods of silence to communicate respect for him. 
B)  Be totally honest with him, even if the information is unpleasant. 
C)  Tell him that everything that is discussed will be kept totally confidential. 
D)  Use slang language when possible to help him open up.

Question 2

A man arrives at the clinic for his annual wellness physical. He is experiencing no acute health problems. Which question or statement by the nurse is most appropriate when beginning the interview?

Accepted Answer

A)  "How is your family?" 
B)  "How is your job?" 
C)  "Tell me about your hypertension." 
D)  "How has your health been since your last visit?"

Question 3

During a prenatal check, a patient begins to cry as the nurse asks her about previous pregnancies. She states that she is remembering her last pregnancy, which ended in miscarriage. Which is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

A)  "I'm so sorry for making you cry!" 
B)  "I can see that you are sad remembering this. It is all right to cry." 
C)  "Why don't I step out for a few minutes until you're feeling better?" 
D)  "I can see that you feel sad about this; why don't we talk about something else?"

Question 4

During a follow-up visit, the nurse discovers that a patient has not been taking his insulin on a regular basis. The nurse asks, "Why haven't you taken your insulin?" Which statement is an appropriate evaluation of this situation?

Accepted Answer

A)  This question may place the patient on the defensive. 
B)  This question is an effective way to search for information. 
C)  Discussing his behavior with his wife would have been better. 
D)  A direct question is the best way to discover the reasons for his behavior.

Question 5

During an interview, the nurse would expect that most of the interview will take place at what distance?

Accepted Answer

A)  Intimate zone 
B)  Personal distance 
C)  Social distance 
D)  Public distance

Question 6

The nurse is conducting an interview in an outpatient clinic and is using a computer to record data. Which are the best uses of the computer in this situation? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Collect the patient's data in a direct, face-to-face manner. 
B)  Enter all the data as the patient states them. 
C)  Ask the patient to wait as the nurse enters the data. 
D)  Type the data into the computer after the narrative is fully explored. 
E)  Allow the patient to see the monitor during typing.

Question 7

A 75-year-old woman is at the office for a preoperative interview. The nurse is aware that the interview may take longer than interviews with younger people. What is the reason for this?

Accepted Answer

A)  An aged person has a longer story to tell. 
B)  An aged person is usually lonely and likes to have someone with whom to talk. 
C)  Aged people lose much of their mental abilities and require longer time to complete an interview. 
D)  As a person ages, he or she is unable to hear; thus the interviewer usually needs to repeat much of what is said.

Question 8

The nurse has used interpretation regarding a patient's statement or actions. What should the nurse do after using this technique?

Accepted Answer

A)  Apologize, because using interpretation can be demeaning for the patient. 
B)  Allow time for the patient to confirm or correct the inference. 
C)  Continue with the interview as though nothing has happened. 
D)  Immediately restate the nurse's conclusion on the basis of the patient's nonverbal response.

Question 9

The nurse asks, "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." Based on this question, the nurse is at which phase of the interview process?

Accepted Answer

A)  Summary 
B)  Closing 
C)  Working 
D)  Opening or introduction

Question 10

In using verbal responses to assist the patient's narrative, some responses focus on the patient's frame of reference and some focus on the health care provider's perspective. Which is an example of a verbal response that focuses on the health care provider's perspective?

Accepted Answer

A)  Empathy 
B)  Reflection 
C)  Facilitation 
D)  Confrontation

Question 11

The nurse says to a patient, "I know it may be hard, but you should do what the doctor ordered because she is the expert in this field." Which statement is correct about the nurse's comment?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is inappropriate because it shows the nurse's bias. 
B)  It is appropriate because members of the health care team are experts in their area of patient care. 
C)  This type of comment promotes dependency and inferiority on the part of the patient and is best avoided in an interview situation. 
D)  Using authority statements when dealing with patients, especially when they are undecided about an issue, is necessary at times.

Question 12

A mother brings her 28-month-old daughter into the clinic for a well-child visit. At the beginning of the visit, the nurse focuses attention away from the toddler, but as the interview progresses, the toddler begins to "warm up" and is smiling shyly at the nurse. The nurse will be most successful in interacting with the toddler if which is done next?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tickle the toddler, and get her to laugh. 
B)  Stoop down to her level, and ask her about the toy she is holding. 
C)  Continue to ignore her until it is time for the physical examination. 
D)  Ask the mother to leave during the examination of the toddler, because toddlers often fuss less if their parent is not in view.

Question 13

A female nurse is interviewing a male patient who is near the same age as the nurse. During the interview, the patient makes an overtly sexual comment. Which is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Stop that immediately!" 
B)  "Oh, you are too funny. Let's keep going with the interview." 
C)  "Do you really think I would be interested?" 
D)  "It makes me uncomfortable when you talk that way. Please stop."

Question 14

A woman has just entered the emergency department after being battered by her husband. The nurse needs to get some information from her to begin treatment. What is the best choice for an opening phase of the interview with this patient?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Hello, Nancy, my name is Nurse C." 
B)  "Mrs. H., my name is Nurse C. How are you?" 
C)  "Hello, Mrs. H., my name is Nurse C. It sure is cold today!" 
D)  "Mrs. H., my name is Nurse C. I'll need to ask you a few questions about what happened."

Question 15

The nurse is conducting an interview. Which of these statements is true regarding open-ended questions? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Elicit hard facts. 
B)  Allow for self-expression. 
C)  Build and enhance rapport. 
D)  Call for short one- to two-word answers. 
E)  Are used when narrative information is needed.

Question 16

A female patient does not speak English well, and the nurse needs to choose an interpreter. Which of the following would be the most appropriate choice?

Accepted Answer

A)  Trained interpreter 
B)  Male family member 
C)  Female family member 
D)  Volunteer college student from the foreign language studies department

Question 17

A pregnant woman states, "I just know labor will be so painful that I won't be able to stand it. I know it sounds awful, but I really dread going into labor." The nurse responds by stating, "Oh, don't worry about labor so much. I have been through it, and although it is painful, many good medications are available to decrease the pain." Which statement is true regarding the nurse's response?

Accepted Answer

A)  Therapeutic response. By sharing something personal, the nurse gives hope to this woman. 
B)  Nontherapeutic response. By providing false reassurance, the nurse actually cut off further discussion of the woman's fears. 
C)  Therapeutic response. By providing information about the medications available, the nurse is giving information to the woman. 
D)  Nontherapeutic response. The nurse is essentially giving the message to the woman that labor cannot be tolerated without medication.

Exam 3: The Interview