when in doubt, pick an open ended question. They give the patient an opportunity to express themselves with prompting from the doctor

And never pick an option that makes you sound critical

1. ALWAYS acknowledge the pt's problem, distress, situation, etc. The corollary to this rule is to first make a statement acknowledging an issue without sounding harsh, then asking a non-passive aggressive follow up question to get to the heart of the matter.

2. NEVER ask the pt to lie

3. NEVER be a dick. The answer may sound robotic, but should never be mean.

4. NEVER refer the patient to another resource (in this case, the nurse, but could also be risk management, therapist, etc.)

5. COMMUNICATE. Talk to other clinicians/experts, etc. to resolve issues.