Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Exam

Which interaction style describes a nurse who struggles to separate her emotions from the patient's needs?

1. Holistic

2. Defensive

3. Sympathetic

4. Silence

The correct answer is: Sympathetic

The interaction style that describes a nurse who struggles to separate her emotions from the patient's needs is sympathetic. This style involves the nurse feeling a strong emotional response to the patient's situation, which can sometimes cloud clinical judgment or the ability to provide objective care. Being sympathetic means that the nurse may overly identify with the patient's feelings, leading to an emotional connection that influences clinical decisions. While empathy is crucial in nursing, a sympathetic approach may result in challenges in maintaining professional boundaries, as the nurse's personal emotions become closely intertwined with the patient's experiences. In contrast, holistic approaches typically integrate the patient's physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs without the nurse becoming emotionally enmeshed. Defensive interactions often involve the nurse feeling threatened or protective, which does not primarily revolve around emotional engagement with the patient. Silence is a communicative technique that may involve a lack of emotional response rather than an engagement with the patient's feelings. Therefore, the sympathetic interaction style accurately captures the nurse's struggle with emotional boundaries in patient care.