After several therapeutic encounters with a patient who recently attempted suicide, which occurrence should cause the nurse to consider the possibility of countertransference?

A. This is transference, where the patient projects feelings about another person onto the nurse. B. Realistic, appropriate reactions suggest progress in the therapeutic relationship, not countertransference. C. Developing trust is a goal in the nurse–patient relationship, not a problem. D. Countertransference occurs when the nurse unconsciously transfers their own feelings to the patient, which can interfere with objectivity. Feeling unusually happy about the patient’s improvement signals the nurse’s personal emotional involvement beyond professional boundaries.