A 25-year-old client says to the nurse, 'I got my degree in criminal justice... and I felt terrified during a violent incident. Maybe I’m not right for this job.' Which statement by the nurse would be therapeutic?

A 25-year-old client says to the nurse, 'I got my degree in criminal justice... and I felt terrified during a violent incident. Maybe I’m not right for this job.' Which statement by the nurse would be therapeutic?

• A. You're saying that because you felt afraid in a violent situation, you may not be right for the job?
• B. Fear in this line of work means you should not be doing the job.
• C. Your fear proves you’re not cut out for law enforcement.
• D. You should toughen up and stop being afraid.

Answer: (A)

Therapeutic communication uses reflection and open-ended questions to help a client explore emotions without judgment. By echoing the client’s fear and asking for clarification, the nurse invites further discussion about what the fear means, how it impacts the job, and what support or coping strategies might help. That approach validates the feeling as real and normal in dangerous situations and keeps the conversation focused on the client’s thoughts and needs rather than labeling or dismissing them. The chosen response does this by saying, in effect, “You’re saying you felt afraid, so you’re questioning whether you’re right for the job?” which encourages the client to elaborate and explore next steps. Other options shut down discussion or imply the client should simply be less afraid, which is not supportive or therapeutic.

Therapeutic communication uses reflection and open-ended questions to help a client explore emotions without judgment. By echoing the client’s fear and asking for clarification, the nurse invites further discussion about what the fear means, how it impacts the job, and what support or coping strategies might help. That approach validates the feeling as real and normal in dangerous situations and keeps the conversation focused on the client’s thoughts and needs rather than labeling or dismissing them.

The chosen response does this by saying, in effect, “You’re saying you felt afraid, so you’re questioning whether you’re right for the job?” which encourages the client to elaborate and explore next steps. Other options shut down discussion or imply the client should simply be less afraid, which is not supportive or therapeutic.