Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in listening?

A) Restate a feeling or thought the patient has expressed.
B) Ask a direct question, such as, "Did you feel angry?"
C) Make a judgment about the patient's problem.
D) Say, "I understand what you're saying."

Restating allows the patient to validate the nurse's understanding of what has been communicated. Restating is an active listening technique. Judgments should be suspended in a nurse-patient relationship. Closed-ended questions such as "Did you feel angry?" ask for specific information rather than show understanding. When the nurse simply states that he or she understands the patient's words, the patient has no way of measuring the understanding.