How should a nurse respond to a client expressing anxiety about their upcoming surgery?

Encouraging the client to verbalize their concerns is a vital response to anxiety. By prompting the client to express their feelings, the nurse creates a safe and supportive environment where the patient feels heard and validated. This process can help the client to process their fears and anxieties, enhancing their understanding of the situation and reducing feelings of helplessness.

Verbalizing concerns can lead to open dialogue, allowing for the identification of specific fears related to the surgery. This can enable the healthcare team to address those concerns, providing relevant information, coping strategies, and reassurance tailored to the client's individual needs. The therapeutic relationship that develops through this interaction builds trust and can significantly reduce the client's anxiety levels.

In contrast, simply providing reassurance without facilitating further discussion may not address the root of the anxieties and can leave the client feeling dismissed. Redirecting the conversation might invalidate the client's feelings or avoid addressing their current emotional state, while advising the client to focus solely on positive outcomes may come off as dismissive and fail to acknowledge the real concerns they are experiencing.