A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client who has schizophrenia and is experiencing auditory hallucinations. Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the plan?

Rationale: A. When a client is experiencing auditory hallucinations, the nurse should assess the content of the hallucinations to determine if they include harmful or command themes (e.g., self-harm or harm to others). Asking directly about what the client is hearing helps the nurse evaluate risk, maintain therapeutic communication, and better understand the client’s experience without reinforcing the hallucination as real. B. Avoiding eye contact can be interpreted as disinterest or rejection and may increase the client’s anxiety or mistrust. With schizophrenia, maintaining appropriate eye contact (not excessive or intimidating) supports therapeutic rapport and communication. C. This may be helpful in some cases to reduce environmental stimulation, but it is not the priority intervention. Isolation alone does not address the hallucination content or assess for potential risk. The nurse must first assess what the client is experiencing before implementing environmental interventions. D. This is incorrect and unsafe. The nurse should never validate hallucinations as real because this reinforces the false perception. Instead, the nurse should acknowledge the client’s experience while gently presenting reality (e.g., “I understand you are hearing voices, but I do not hear them”).