How to take psych questions

1. Make sure you know what phase of the relationship you are in
2. Gift giving- don’t give gifts. Don’t accept gifts in psych.
a. Ex: if schizophrentic gives flowers don’t accept. To you may be a gift- to them
may be a marriage proposal
3. Don’t give advice
a. Ask them “what do you think you should do”
b. In med-surg/peds you CAN give advice. Just NOT in psych
4. Don’t give gurantees in psych
a. If you cry youll feel better
b. If you talk to me we can help you
5. If a patient says something –the best answer is the one that keeps them talking
a. If between two psych answers pick the one that keeps them talking.
b. Ex: lets talk about it right here right now.
c. DON’T pick answers that say refer them to the social workeryour ending the
communication right then and there. Even if it’s appropriate for the social
worker to deal with.
d. Its NEVER wrong to get your patient to talk
e. Ex: women talking about breast cancer. When will the results come back. My
sister had breast cancer
i. Choices: your result will come back in two days and your doc will discuss
with you
ii. You are concerned about what the results might say. (You would chose
this one because it gets her to talk!)
6. Concreteness- DO NOT USE SLANG
a. Ex: pt says I feel rotten. You do NOT respond with “you feel rotten”
b. Don’t tell pt to “chill out” Psych pt’s take you literal and concrete.
c. If pt says to you you’re a real “lynsvic”. [this is a made up word] don’t ask them
what is a “lynsvic” Say I see you are angry..
7. EMPATHY- says the best psych answers are the answers that the nurse accepts the pt’s
FEELINGS as being Valid, real and worthy of action
a. Acknowledge their feelings
b. BAD ANSWERS: DO NOT PICK THESE
i. DON’T WORRY
ii. DON’T FEEL
iii. YOU SHOUDNT FEEL
iv. I WOULD FEEL
v. ANYBODY WOULD FEEL
vi. MOST PEOPLE WOULD FEEL
c. Ways to recognize an empathy question
 I. Empathy questions always have a “ “ in the question and each of
the answers is a “ “
II. Put yourself in the client’s shoes. Say their words as if you really
mean them.
III. Ask yourself if you said their words and really meant them how
would you be feeling right now
IV. Go and chose the answer that reflects that feeling or anything
close. DO NOT chose the answer that reflects their words.
EMPATHY IGNORES WHAT IS SAID AND GOES WITH WHAT IS FELT.
DO NOT GET IT SWITCHED AROUND