A nurse is assisting in the care of a client whose partner has end-stage lung cancer. The client states, "The doctors say he only has a few months to live, but I know that with treatment he will get better." The nurse should identify that the client is exhibiting which of the following defense mechanisms?

A. Splitting : Splitting is a defense mechanism where a person sees others as all good or all bad, which is not evident in this scenario. B. Denial: Denial is refusing to accept reality as a way to cope with distress. The client rejects the prognosis and insists on recovery despite medical evidence. C. Displacement : Displacement is shifting emotions onto a less threatening target (e.g., being angry at a nurse instead of at the bad news). D. Repression : Repression is unconsciously blocking out distressing thoughts rather than actively rejecting the reality of a loved one’s condition.