A client says, 'I'm so worried about my surgery tomorrow.' Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?

The most therapeutic response is 'TELL ME MORE about what is concerning you' — an OPEN-ENDED statement that ENCOURAGES the client to express feelings and explores their concerns. NCLEX-PN psychosocial/therapeutic communication. THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES: open-ended questions, active listening, reflection, clarification, silence, acknowledging feelings. NON-THERAPEUTIC (avoid): false reassurance ('everything will be fine' — dismisses feelings and may be untrue); minimizing ('it's nothing'); giving disapproval ('you shouldn't feel that way'); changing the subject (avoids the client's concern). Exploring and validating the client's feelings, rather than dismissing them, builds trust and addresses the real concern. Identifying therapeutic vs non-therapeutic communication is heavily tested.