NCLEX Practice Test

What intervention is appropriate for a client with paranoid delusions who believes all food and drinks have been poisoned?

1. Contact the client's family and ask them to bring prepared food from home

2. Inform the client that tube feedings will be initiated if the client refuses to eat

3. Offer to taste the client's food and drinks while the client observes

4. Provide the client food in unopened single-serving packages

The correct answer is: Contact the client's family and ask them to bring prepared food from home

The appropriate intervention for a client experiencing paranoid delusions, such as believing that food and drinks have been poisoned, involves easing their fears while ensuring they receive adequate nutrition. Providing food in unopened single-serving packages is a practical approach because it addresses the client's concerns about food contamination. This method helps to maintain the client's autonomy and dignity while also ensuring that they consume safe and uncontaminated food. Unopened packages reinforce the idea of safety and control, which is crucial for someone who is paranoid. Engaging the client in a way that respects their delusion—such as offering food that appears tamper-proof—can help build trust and potentially reduce their anxiety regarding meals. This intervention also avoids escalating the situation or causing further distress for the client, as it does not confront their beliefs directly, which may lead to increased paranoia or resistance to care.