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NCLEX · Therapeutic Communication

A client is crying after receiving difficult news. Which nursing action best demonstrates therapeutic presence?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Sit with the client, offer a tissue, and allow silence, conveying support and a willingness to listen

  1. A Leave the room to give privacy and avoid intruding
  2. B Immediately offer detailed medical advice
  3. C Tell the client to stop crying
  4. D Sit with the client, offer a tissue, and allow silence, conveying support and a willingness to listen

Why this is the answer

Therapeutic PRESENCE after difficult news: SIT WITH the client, offer comfort (a tissue), and ALLOW SILENCE — conveying support, empathy, and a willingness to listen without rushing. NCLEX psychosocial/therapeutic communication. SILENCE is a therapeutic technique — it gives the client time to process emotions and shows the nurse is present and unhurried. Being physically present and emotionally available is powerful support.

Avoid: leaving (can feel like abandonment when the client needs support), telling the client to stop crying (dismissive), or jumping to advice/information when the client needs emotional support first. Allow the client to express emotion. Knowing that therapeutic presence (sitting with, allowing silence) supports a distressed client is a commonly tested NCLEX communication concept.

Source: NCLEX Psychosocial — Therapeutic Presence/Silence

Practice more questions

This question is from our NCLEX Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Therapeutic Communication and other topics.

Take the RN: Psychosocial Integrity practice test →

About this topic: Therapeutic Communication

Therapeutic communication questions ask for the nurse's best response — reflecting, clarifying, open-ended, silence — and test the non-therapeutic responses to avoid. This is one of 14 RN: Psychosocial Integrity questions on therapeutic communication, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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