Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic when the patient is frightened about the seizure experience?

• A. You should contact the Epilepsy Foundation; I think it will help.
• B. This is all new to you, and you must be frightened. Let's talk for awhile.
• C. Because you don't feel bad doesn't mean you won't have a seizure.
• D. I know seeing someone having a seizure is a frightening experience.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is therapeutic communication through validating the patient’s emotions and inviting them to express themselves. When someone is frightened by a seizure experience, the most helpful nurse response is to acknowledge that fear as real and to open a conversation about it.

The best choice says: This is all new to you, and you must be frightened. Let's talk for awhile. It does two things at once: it normalizes the fear—validating that feeling as understandable—and it invites the patient to share thoughts and concerns, which helps reduce anxiety and builds trust. It shows empathy and availability without rushing to give education or making assumptions about how the patient should feel.

Other options miss the mark in different ways. Suggesting a resource can be helpful, but it doesn’t address the immediate emotional state. Emphasizing risk without acknowledging feelings can heighten fear rather than ease it. Stating that you know it’s frightening because you’ve seen it yourself shifts focus to the nurse’s reaction rather than the patient’s experience.

So the most therapeutic approach is to acknowledge the fear and invite dialogue, as in the chosen response.