What emotional response should a nurse expect from a patient experiencing new-onset confusion?

When a patient experiences new-onset confusion, a common emotional response is fear. This confusion can lead the patient to feel vulnerable and anxious about their ability to understand or navigate their environment. Patients may not comprehend why they are feeling this way or what is happening to them, which increases their distress. Fear can stem from uncertainty about their health, potential loss of independence, and concern about what others may think.

While happiness, denial, and indifference might be emotional responses in different contexts or situations, they are not typical reactions to sudden changes in cognitive function. Patients grappling with confusion are more likely to be overwhelmed by their inability to think clearly, leading to feelings of fear. Understanding this emotional response is crucial for nurses to provide empathetic care and reassurance to the patient, helping to alleviate some of that fear.