A nurse is interviewing a client who recently attempted suicide. Which question is appropriate for the nurse to ask the client?
A)"Do you currently have a plan for killing yourself?"
B)"Why would you think about harming yourself?"
C)"Did you feel unsafe?"
D)"Do you ever think about hurting yourself?"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A)It is helpful to recognize the client's current state, not a past state, by talking about depression and asking direct questions such as "Do you currently have a plan for killing yourself?" This is an effective type of questioning. The client has recently attempted suicide, so questions asking whether the client has thought about hurting himself deny the reality of the situation. Asking why the client would hurt himself could be interpreted as being judgmental and may damage the nurse-client relationship.
B)It is helpful to recognize the client's current state, not a past state, by talking about depression and asking direct questions such as "Do you currently have a plan for killing yourself?" This is an effective type of questioning. The client has recently attempted suicide, so questions asking whether the client has thought about hurting himself deny the reality of the situation. Asking why the client would hurt himself could be interpreted as being judgmental and may damage the nurse-client relationship.
C)It is helpful to recognize the client's current state, not a past state, by talking about depression and asking direct questions such as "Do you currently have a plan for killing yourself?" This is an effective type of questioning. The client has recently attempted suicide, so questions asking whether the client has thought about hurting himself deny the reality of the situation. Asking why the client would hurt himself could be interpreted as being judgmental and may damage the nurse-client relationship.
D)It is helpful to recognize the client's current state, not a past state, by talking about depression and asking direct questions such as "Do you currently have a plan for killing yourself?" This is an effective type of questioning. The client has recently attempted suicide, so questions asking whether the client has thought about hurting himself deny the reality of the situation. Asking why the client would hurt himself could be interpreted as being judgmental and may damage the nurse-client relationship.

A Nurse Is Interviewing a Client Who Recently Attempted Suicide