Nclex Mood Disorders: Anxiety, Abuse
While a client is taking alprazolam (Xanax), which of the following should the nurse instruct the client to avoid? 1. Chocolate. 2. Cheese. 3. Alcohol. 4. Shellfish.
3. Using alcohol or any central nervous system depressant while taking a benzodiazepine, such as alprazolam, is contraindicated because of additive depressant effects. Ingestion of chocolate, cheese, or shellfish is not problematic.
When planning the care for a client who is being abused, which of the following measures is most important to include? 1. Being compassionate and empathetic. 2. Teaching the client about abuse and the cycle of violence. 3. Explaining to the client her personal and legal rights. 4. Helping the client develop a safety plan.
4. The client's safety, including the need to stay alive, is crucial. Therefore, helping the client develop a safety plan is most important to include in the plan of care to ensure the client's safety. Being empathetic, teaching about abuse, and explaining the person's rights are also important after safety is ensured.
The nurse is to administer Xanax (alprazolam) to help a client of Japanese descent calm down. The order reads Xanax 0.25 to 1 mg by mouth as needed for agitation. What is the best dose for the nurse to give this client? ________________________ mg.
2 mg. Asians have a greater sensitivity to psychotropic medication and generally require much less than other cultural groups to achieve positive results. The smallest dose is safest to start; the dosage can always be increased. However, a dose that is too high for the client is likely to cause unpleasant or even serious side effects. Those side effects likely would lead to distress and noncompliance in the future.
When working with a group of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, dealing with anger and rage is a major focus. Which strategy should the nurse expect to be successful? Select all that apply. 1. Directly confronting the abuser. 2. Using a foam bat while symbolically confronting the abuser. 3. Keeping a journal of memories and feelings. 4. Writing letters to the abusers that are not sent. 5. Writing letters to the adults who did not protect them that are not sent.
2, 3, 4, 5. Using a foam bat while symbolically confronting the abuser, keeping a journal of memories and feelings, and writing letters about the abuse but not sending them are appropriate strategies because they allow anger to be expressed safely. Directly confronting the abuser is likely to result in further harm because the abusers commonly deny the abuse, rationalize about it, or blame the victim.
A client who is pacing and wringing his hands states, "I just need to walk" when questioned by the nurse about what he is feeling. Which of the following responses by the nurse is most therapeutic? 1. "You need to sit down and relax." 2. "Are you feeling anxious?" 3. "Is something bothering you?" 4. "You must be experiencing a problem now."
2. Asking, "Are you feeling anxious?" helps the client to specifically label the feeling as anxiety so that he can begin to understand and manage it. Some clients need assistance with identifying what they are feeling so they can recognize what is happening to them. Stating, "You need to sit down and relax," is not appropriate because the client needs to continue his pacing to feel better. Asking if something is bothering the client or saying that he must be experiencing a problem is vague and does not help the client identify his feelings as anxiety.
A client with acute stress disorder has avoided feelings of anger toward her rapist and cannot verbally express them. The nurse suggests which of the following activities to assist the client with expressing her feelings? 1. Working on a puzzle. 2. Writing in a journal. 3. Meditating. 4. Listening to music.
2. Writing in a journal can help the client safely express feelings, particularly anger, when the client cannot verbalize them. Safely externalizing anger by writing in a journal helps the client to maintain control over her feelings.
While interviewing a 3-year-old girl who has been sexually abused about the event, which approach would be most effective? 1. Describe what happened during the abusive act. 2. Draw a picture and explain what it means. 3. "Play out" the event using anatomically correct dolls. 4. Name the perpetrator.
3. A 3-year-old child has limited verbal skills and should not be asked to describe an event, explain a picture, or respond verbally or nonverbally to questions. More appropriately, the child can act out an event using dolls. The child is likely to be too fearful to name the perpetrator or will not be able to do so.
One of the myths about sexual abuse of young children is that it usually involves physically violent acts. Which of the following behaviors is more likely to be used by the abusers? 1. Tying the child down. 2. Bribery with money. 3. Coercion as a result of the trusting relationship. 4. Asking for the child's consent for sex.
3. Coercion is the most common strategy used because the child commonly trusts the abuser. Tying the child down usually is not necessary. Typically the abusive person can control the child by his or her size and weight alone. Bribery usually is not necessary because the child wants love and affection from the abusive person, not money. Young children are not capable of giving consent for sex before they develop an adult concept of what sex is.
When planning interventions for parents who are abusive, the nurse should incorporate knowledge of which factor as a common parental indicator? 1. Lower socioeconomic group. 2. Unemployment. 3. Low self-esteem. 4. Loss of emotional family attachments.
3. Parents who are abusive often suffer from low self-esteem, commonly because of the way they were parented, including not being able to develop trust in caretakers and not being encouraged or offered emotional support by parents. Therefore, the nurse works to bolster the parents' self-esteem. This can be achieved by praising the parents for appropriate parenting. Employment and socioeconomic status are not indicators of abusive parents. Abusive parents usually are attached to their children and do not want to give them up to foster care. Parents who are abusive love their children and feel close to them emotionally.
Which parental characteristic is least likely to be a risk factor for child abuse? 1. Low self-esteem. 2. History of substance abuse. 3. Inadequate knowledge of normal growth and development patterns. 4. Being a member of a large family.
4. From documented cases of child abuse, a profile has emerged of a high-risk parent as a person who is isolated, impulsive, impatient, and single with low self-esteem, a history of substance abuse, a lack of knowledge about a child's normal growth and development, and multiple life stressors. Just because a parent comes from a large family, there is no increase in the incidence of the parent abusing their own children unless they possess the other risk factors.
A co-manager of a convenience store was taking the daily receipts to the bank when she was robbed at gun point. She did not report the robbery and could not be found for 2 days. In a city 100 miles away, a hotel manager called the police because the woman gave a false name and address. After learning that the robbery was confirmed by the bank cameras, she was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of Dissociative Fugue. The nurse should include which of the following in the client's care plan? Select all that apply. 1. Develop trust and rapport to provide safety and support. 2. Rule out possible physical and neurological causes for the fugue. 3. Help the client discuss what she can remember about the trip to the bank. 4. Seclude the client from the other clients because of her lack of memory. 5. Question her repeatedly about the robbery and how she responded. 6. Encourage the client to talk about her feelings about what has been happening.
1, 2, 3, 6. A client experiencing a Dissociate Fugue needs to feel safe and supported as well as evaluated medically and neurologically. Then it is appropriate to discuss what she can remember about the trip to the bank and her feelings about all that has happened to her since then. It is not appropriate to seclude her from others or to apply pressure to get details about the crime at this time. The police and the bank will ask these questions during their investigations.
A client is diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and given a prescription for venlafaxine (Effexor). Which of the following information should the nurse include in a teaching plan for this client? Select all that apply. 1. Various strategies for reducing anxiety. 2. The benefits and mechanisms of actions of Effexor in treating GAD. 3. How Effexor will eliminate his anxiety at home and work. 4. The management of the common side effects of Effexor. 5. Substituting adaptive coping strategies for maladaptive ones. 6. The positive effects of Effexor being evident in 4 to 5 days.
1, 2, 4, 5. It is appropriate to provide education on medication mechanisms, benefits, and managing side effects. No medication will eliminate all anxiety, so teaching about anxiety reduction and adaptive coping is needed. Effexor is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant and it will take 2 to 4 weeks to feel the effects.
A client diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is readmitted for suicidal thoughts and continued trouble sleeping. She states that when she closes her eyes, she has vivid memories about being awakened at night. "My dad would be on top of me trying to have sex with me. I couldn't breathe." Which of the following suggestions would be appropriate for the nurse to make for the insomnia? Select all that apply. 1. Trying relaxation techniques to help decrease her anxiety before bedtime. 2. Taking the quetiapine (Seroquel) 25 mg as needed as ordered by the physician. 3. Staying in the dayroom and trying to sleep in the recliner chair near staff. 4. Listening to calming music as she tries to fall asleep. 5. Processing the content of her flashbacks no less than hour before bedtime. 6. Leaving her door slightly open to decrease noise during the nightly checks.
1, 2, 4, 6. Relaxation techniques and listening to calming music decrease anxiety and promote sleep. Seroquel is often effective in decreasing nightmare and flashbacks and has a beneficial side effect of drowsiness. Leaving her door slightly open will decrease the noise of making 15 minute checks at night. Staying in the dayroom in a recliner with all the noise and lights is not likely to help. Processing memories an hour or two before bedtime doesn't allow enough time to calm down before sleep.
The nurse is developing a long term care plan for an outpatient client diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Which of the following should be included in this plan? Select all that apply. 1. Learning how to manage feelings, especially anger and rage. 2. Joining several outpatient support groups that are process-oriented. 3. Identifying resources to call when there is a risk of suicide or self-mutilation. 4. Selecting a method for alter personalities to communicate with each other, such as journaling. 5. Trying different medicines to find one that eliminates the dissociative process. 6. Helping each alter accept the goal of sharing and integrating all their memories.
1, 3, 4, 6. Managing suicidal thought, urges to self-mutilate and the intense anger are critical safety issues. Then the focus can switch to communication methods for each alter and the integration issues. Process groups can be overwhelming when too much is revealed or when child alters are unable to understand the group content. There are no known medicines to stop the process of dissociating.
A client is taking diazepam (Valium) for generalized anxiety disorder. Which instruction should the nurse give to this client? Select all that apply. 1. To consult with his health care provider before he stops taking the drug. 2. To avoid eating cheese and other tyramine-rich foods. 3. To take the medication on an empty stomach. 4. Not to use alcohol while taking the drug. 5. To stop taking the drug if he experiences swelling of the lips and face and difficulty breathing.
1, 4, 5. The nurse should instruct the client who is taking diazepam to take the medication as prescribed; stopping the medication suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. This medication is used for a short term only. The drug dose can be potentiated by alcohol and the client should not drink alcoholic beverages while taking this drug. Swelling of the lips and face and difficulty breathing are signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. The client should stop taking the drug and seek medical assistance immediately. The client does not need to avoid eating foods containing tyramine; tyramine interacts with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, not Valium. The client can take the medication with food.
A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder reveals that he was late for his appointment "because of my dumb habit. I have to take off my socks and put them back on 41 times! I can't stop until I do it just right." The nurse interprets the client's behavior as most likely representing an effort to obtain which of the following? 1. Relief from anxiety. 2. Control of his thoughts. 3. Attention from others. 4. Safe expression of hostility.
1. A client who is exhibiting compulsive behavior is attempting to control his anxiety. The compulsive behavior is performed to relieve discomfort and to bind or neutralize anxiety. The client must perform the ritual to avoid an extreme increase in tension or anxiety even though the client is aware that the actions are absurd. The repetitive behavior is not an attempt to control thoughts; the obsession or thinking component cannot be controlled. It is not an attention-seeking mechanism or an attempt to express hostility.
A client with panic disorder is taking alprazolam (Xanax) 1 mg P.O. three times daily. The nurse understands that this medication is effective in blocking the symptoms of panic because of its specific action on which of the following neurotransmitters? 1. Gamma-aminobutyrate. 2. Serotonin. 3. Dopamine. 4. Norepinephrine.
1. Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine used on a short-term or temporary basis to treat symptoms of anxiety, increases gamma-aminobutyrate, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Because gamma-aminobutyric acid is increased and the reticular activating system is depressed, incoming stimuli are muted and the effects of anxiety are blocked. Alprazolam does not directly target serotonin, dopamine, or norepinephrine.
Which of the following statements by a client who has been taking buspirone (BuSpar) as prescribed for 2 days indicates the need for further teaching? 1. "This medication will help my tight, aching muscles." 2. "I may not feel better for 7 to 10 days." 3. "The drug does not cause physical dependence." 4. "I can take the medication with food."
1. Buspirone, a nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytic, is particularly effective in treating the cognitive symptoms of anxiety, such as worry, apprehension, difficulty with concentration, and irritability. BuSpar is not effective for the somatic symptoms of anxiety (muscle tension). Therapeutic effects may be experienced in 7 to 10 days, with full effects not occurring for 3 to 4 weeks. This drug is not known to cause physical or psychological dependence. It can be taken with food or small meals to reduce gastrointestinal upset.
The nurse should warn a client who is taking a benzodiazepine about using which of the following medications in combination with his current medication? 1. Antacids. 2. Acetaminophen (Tylenol). 3. Vitamins. 4. Aspirin.
1. Combining a benzodiazepine with an antacid impairs the absorption rate of the benzodiazepine. Acetaminophen, vitamins, and aspirin are safe to take with a benzodiazepine because no major drug interactions occur.
A 3-year-old child with a history of being abused has blood drawn. The child lies very still and makes no sound during the procedure. Which of the following comments by the nurse would be most appropriate? 1. "It's okay to cry when something hurts." 2. "That really didn't hurt, did it?" 3. "We're mean to hurt you that way, aren't we?" 4. "You were very good not to cry with the needle."
1. It is not normal for a preschooler to be totally passive during a painful procedure. Typically a preschooler reacts to a painful procedure by crying or pulling away because of the fear of pain. However, an abused child may become "immune" to pain and may find that crying can bring on more pain. The child needs to learn that appropriate emotional expression is acceptable. Telling the child that it really didn't hurt is inappropriate because it is untrue. Telling the child that nurses are mean does not build a trusting relationship. Praising the child will reinforce the child's response not to cry, even though it is acceptable to do so.
A young child who has been sexually abused has difficulty putting feelings into words. Which of the following should the nurse employ with the child? 1. Engaging in play therapy. 2. Role-playing. 3. Giving the child's drawings to the abuser. 4. Reporting the abuse to a prosecutor.
1. The dolls and toys in a play therapy room are useful props to help the child remember situations and reexperience the feelings, acting out the experience with the toys rather than putting the feelings into words. Role-playing without props commonly is more difficult for a child. Although drawing itself can be therapeutic, having the abuser see the pictures is usually threatening for the child. Reporting abuse to authorities is mandatory, but doesn't help the child express feelings.
A client is brought to the emergency department by his brother. The client is perspiring profusely, breathing rapidly, and complaining of dizziness and palpitations. Problems of a cardiovascular nature are ruled out, and the client's diagnosis is tentatively listed as a panic attack. After the symptoms pass, the client states, "I thought I was going to die." Which of the following responses by the nurse is best? 1. "It was very frightening for you." 2. "We would not have let you die." 3. "I would have felt the same way." 4. "But you're okay now."
1. The nurse responds with the statement, "It was very frightening for you," to express empathy, thus acknowledging the client's discomfort and accepting his feelings. The nurse conveys respect and validates the client's self-worth. The other statements do not focus on the client's underlying feelings, convey active listening, or promote trust.
The client, a veteran of the Vietnam war who has posttraumatic stress disorder, tells the nurse about the horror and mass destruction of war. He states, "I killed all of those people for nothing." Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate? 1. "You did what you had to do at that time." 2. "Maybe you didn't kill as many people as you think." 3. "How many people did you kill?" 4. "War is a terrible thing."
1. The nurse states, "You did what you had to do at that time," to help the client evaluate past behavior in the context of the trauma. Clients commonly feel guilty about past behaviors when viewing them in the context of current values. The other statements are inappropriate because they do not help the client to evaluate past behavior in the context of the trauma.
A client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder arrives late for an appointment with the nurse at the outpatient clinic. During the interview, he fidgets restlessly, has trouble remembering what topic is being discussed, and says he thinks he is going crazy. Which of the following statements by the nurse best deals with the client's feelings of "going crazy?" 1. "What do you mean when you say you think you're going crazy?" 2. "Most people feel that way occasionally." 3. "I don't know you well enough to judge your mental state." 4. "You sound perfectly sane to me."
1. When the client says he thinks he is "going crazy," it is best for the nurse to ask him what "crazy" means to him. The nurse must have a clear idea of what the client means by his words and actions. Using an open-ended question facilitates client description to help the nurse assess his meaning. The other statements minimize and dismiss the client's concern and do not give him the opportunity to openly discuss his feelings, possibly leading to increased anxiety.
A nurse is assessing a client who is being abused. The nurse should assess the client for which characteristic? Select all that apply. 1. Assertiveness. 2. Self-blame. 3. Alcohol abuse. 4. Suicidal thoughts. 5. Guilt.
2, 3, 4, 5. The victim of abuse is usually compliant with the spouse and feels guilt, shame, and some responsibility for the battering. Self-blame, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts and attempts are possible dysfunctional coping methods used by abuse victims. The victim of abuse is not likely to demonstrate assertiveness.
A client diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder has been taking sertraline (Zoloft) but would like to have more energy every day. At his monthly checkup, he reports that his massage therapist recommended he take St. John's Wort to help his depression. The nurse should tell the client: 1. "St. John's Wort is a harmless herb that might be helpful in this instance." 2. "Combining St. John's Wort with the Zoloft can cause a serious reaction called Serotonin Syndrome." 3. "If you take St. John's, we'll have to decrease the dose of your Zoloft." 4. "St. John's Wort isn't very effective for depression, but we can increase your Zoloft dose."
2. The effectiveness of St. John's Wort with depression is unconfirmed. The critical issue is that the combination of St. John's Wort and Zoloft (an SSRI antidepressant) can produce Serotonin Syndrome which can be fatal. The client should not take the St. John's Wort while taking Zoloft.
A client tells the nurse that she has been raped but has not reported it to the police. After determining whether the client was injured, whether it is still possible to collect evidence, and whether to file a report, the nurse's next priority is to offer which of the following to the client? 1. Legal assistance. 2. Crisis intervention. 3. A rape support group. 4. Medication for disturbed sleep.
2. The experience of rape is a crisis. Crisis intervention services, especially with a rape crisis nurse, are essential to help the client begin dealing with the aftermath of a rape. Legal assistance may be recommended if the client decides to report the rape and only after crisis intervention services have been provided. A rape support group can be helpful later in the recovery process. Medications for sleep disturbance, especially benzodiazepines, should be avoided if possible. Benzodiazepines are potentially addictive and can be used in suicide attempts, especially when consumed with alcohol.
A week ago, a tornado destroyed the client's home and seriously injured her husband. The client has been walking around the hospital in a daze without any outward display of emotions. She tells the nurse that she feels like she's going crazy. Which of the following actions should the nurse use first? 1. Explain the effects of stress on the mind and body. 2. Reassure the client that her feelings are typical reactions to serious trauma. 3. Reassure the client that her symptoms are temporary. 4. Acknowledge the unfairness of the client's situation.
2. The nurse initially reassures the client that her feelings and behaviors are typical reactions to serious trauma to help decrease anxiety and maintain self-esteem. Explaining the effects of stress on the body may be helpful later. Telling the client that her symptoms are temporary is less helpful. Acknowledging the unfairness of the client's situation does not address the client's needs at this time.
After months of counseling, a client abused by her husband tells the nurse that she has decided to stop treatment. There has been no abuse during this time, and she feels better able to cope with the needs of her husband and children. In discussing this decision with the client, the nurse should: 1. Tell the client that this is a bad decision that she will regret in the future. 2. Find out more about the client's rationale for her decision to stop treatment. 3. Warn the client that abuse commonly stops when one partner is in treatment, only to begin again later. 4. Remind the client of her duty to protect her children by continuing treatment.
2. The nurse needs more information about the client's decision before deciding what intervention is most appropriate. Judgmental responses could make it difficult for the client to return for treatment should she want to do so. Telling the client that this is a bad decision that she will regret is inappropriate because the nurse is making an assumption. Warning the client that abuse commonly stops when one partner is involved in treatment may be true for some clients. However, until the nurse determines the basis for the client's decision, this type of response is an assumption and therefore inappropriate. Reminding the client about her duty to protect the children would be appropriate if the client had talked about episodes of current abuse by her partner and the fear that her children might be hurt by him.
A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who was admitted early yesterday morning, must make his bed 22 times before he can have breakfast. Because of his behavior, the client missed having breakfast yesterday with the other clients. Which of the following actions should the nurse institute to help the client be on time for breakfast? 1. Tell the client to make his bed one time only. 2. Wake the client an hour earlier to perform his ritual. 3. Insist that the client stop his activity when it's time for breakfast. 4. Advise the client to have breakfast first before making his bed.
2. The nurse should wake the client an hour earlier to perform his ritual so that he can be on time for breakfast with the other clients. The nurse provides the client with time needed to perform rituals because the client needs to keep his anxiety in check. The nurse should never take away a ritual, because panic will ensue. The nurse should work with the client later to slowly set limits on the frequency of the action.
1. A married female client has been referred to the mental health center because she is depressed. The nurse notices bruises on her upper arms and asks about them. After denying any problems, the client starts to cry and says, "He didn't really mean to hurt me, but I hate for the kids to see this. I'm so worried about them." Which of the following is the most crucial information for the nurse to determine? 1. The type and extent of abuse occurring in the family. 2. The potential of immediate danger to the client and her children. 3. The resources available to the client. 4. Whether the client wants to be separated from her husband.
2. The safety of the client and her children is the most immediate concern. If there is immediate danger, action must be taken to protect them. The other options can be discussed after the client's safety is assured.
A preadolescent child is suspected of being sexually abused because he demonstrates the self-destructive behaviors of self-mutilation and attempted suicide. Which common behavior should the nurse also expect to assess? 1. Inability to play. 2. Truancy and running away. 3. Head banging. 4. Over-control of anger.
2. Truancy and running away are common symptoms for young children and adolescents. The stress of the abuse interferes with school success, leading to the avoidance of school. Running away is an effort to escape the abuse and/ or lack of support at home. Rather than an inability to play or a lack of play, play is likely to be aggressive with sexual overtones. Children tend to act out anger rather than control it. Head banging is a behavior typically seen with very young children who are abused.
Which of the following client statements indicates the need for additional teaching about benzodiazepines? 1. "I can't drink alcohol while taking diazepam (Valium)." 2. "I can stop taking the drug anytime I want." 3. "Valium can make me drowsy, so I shouldn't drive for a while." 4. "Valium will help my tight muscles feel better."
2. Valium, like any benzodiazepine, cannot be stopped abruptly. The client must be slowly tapered off of the medication to decrease withdrawal symptoms, which would be similar to withdrawal from alcohol. Alcohol in combination with a benzodiazepine produces an increased central nervous system depressant effect and therefore should be avoided. Valium can cause drowsiness, and the client should be warned about driving until tolerance develops. Valium has muscle relaxant properties and will help tight, tense muscles feel better.
Which of the following observations by the nurse should suggest that a 15-month-old toddler has been abused? 1. The child appears happy when personnel work with him. 2. The child plays alongside others contentedly. 3. The child is underdeveloped for his age. 4. The child sucks his thumb.
3. An almost universal finding in descriptions of abused children is underdevelopment for age. This may be reflected in small physical size or in poor psychosocial development. The child should be evaluated further until a plausible diagnosis can be established. A child who appears happy when personnel work with him is exhibiting normal behavior. Children who are abused often are suspicious of others, especially adults. A child who plays alongside others is exhibiting normal behavior, that of parallel play. A child who sucks his thumb contentedly
During the third session with the nurse, a client who is being abused states, "I don't know what to do anymore. He doesn't want me to go anywhere while he's at work, not even to visit my friends." Which nursing diagnosis should the nurse formulate regarding this information? 1. Risk for other-directed violence related to an abusive husband, as evidenced by the victim's statement of being battered. 2. Situational low self-esteem related to victimization, as evidenced by not being able to leave the house. 3. Powerlessness related to control by husband, as evidenced by the inability to make decisions. 4. Ineffective coping related to victimization, as evidenced by crying.
3. Based on the client's statements, such as "I don't know what to do anymore," the data here best support the nursing diagnosis of Powerlessness related to control by husband, as evidenced by inability to make decisions. A nursing diagnosis of Risk for other-directed violence would be appropriate if the client had talked about being beaten up the previous night. A nursing diagnosis of Situational low self-esteem would be appropriate if the client verbalized feelings of embarrassment in leaving the house and worthlessness. A nursing diagnosis of Ineffective coping would be appropriate if the client was crying or talked about crying herself to sleep at night.
Adolescents and adults who were sexually abused as children commonly mutilate themselves. The nurse interprets this behavior as: 1. The need to make themselves less sexually attractive. 2. An alternative to bingeing and purging. 3. Use of physical pain to avoid dealing with emotional pain. 4. An alternative to getting high on drugs.
3. Dealing with the physical pain associated with mutilation is viewed as easier than dealing with the intense anger and emotional pain. The client fears an aggressive outburst when anger and emotional pain increase. Self-mutilation seems easier and safer. Additionally, self-mutilation may occur if the client feels unreal or numb or is dissociating. Here, the mutilation proves to the client that he or she is alive and capable of feeling. The client may want to be less sexually attractive, but this aspect usually is not related to self-mutilation. Bingeing and purging is commonly done in addition to, not instead of, self-mutilation. Although a few clients report an occasional high with self-mutilation, usually the experience is just relief from anger and rage.
In working with a rape victim, which of the following is most important? 1. Continuing to encourage the client to report the rape to the legal authorities. 2. Recommending that the client resume sexual relations with her partner as soon as possible. 3. Periodically reminding the client that she did not deserve and did not cause the rape. 4. Telling the client that the rapist will eventually be caught, put on trial, and jailed.
3. Guilt and self-blame are common feelings that need to be addressed directly and frequently. The client needs to be reminded periodically that she did not deserve and did not cause the rape. Continually encouraging the client to report the rape pressures the client and is not helpful. In most cases, resuming sexual relations is a difficult process that is not likely to occur quickly. It is not necessarily true that the rapist will be caught, tried, and jailed. Most rapists are not caught or convicted.
Which of the following points should the nurse include when teaching a client about panic disorder? 1. Staying in the house will eliminate panic attacks. 2. Medication should be taken when symptoms start. 3. Symptoms of a panic attack are time limited and will abate. 4. Maintaining self-control will decrease symptoms of panic.
3. It is important for the nurse to teach the client that the symptoms of a panic attack are time limited and will abate. This helps decrease the client's fear about what is occurring. Clients benefit from learning about their illness, what symptoms to expect, and the helpful use of medication. A simple biologic explanation of the disorder can convince clients to take their medication. Telling the client to stay in the house to eliminate panic attacks is not correct or helpful. Panic attacks can occur "out of the blue," and clients with panic disorder can become agoraphobic because of fear of having a panic attack where help is not available or escape is impossible. Medication should be taken on a scheduled basis to block the symptoms of panic before they start. Taking medication when symptoms start is not helpful. Telling the client to maintain self-control to decrease symptoms of panic is false information because the brain and biochemicals may account for its development. Therefore, the client cannot control when a panic attack will occur.
A client named Jana, with a long history of experiencing Dissociative Identity Disorder, is admitted to the unit after the cuts on her legs were sutured in the Emergency Department. During the admission interview, Jana tearfully states that she does not know what happened to her legs. Then a stronger, alter personality named Jason emerges. Jason states that Jana is useless, weak, and needs to be eliminated completely. The nurse should do which of the following first? 1. Explore Jason's attitudes toward Jana more thoroughly. 2. Place Jana in restraints when Jason emerges. 3. Contract with Jason to tell the nurse when he has the urge to harm Jana and the body they both share. 4. Keep Jana in a stress-free environment so that the stronger Jason does not get a chance to emerge.
3. The No Harm Contract with any destructive alters is essential along with the reminder that the alters share the same body. Later, Jason's attitudes about Jana can be explored in more depth. When alter personalities emerge, their behaviors are not predictable. Restraints could not be placed on the client soon enough. There are no behaviors to justify restraints at this point. Creating a stress-free environment is not possible.
After being discharged from the hospital with acute stress disorder, a client is referred to the outpatient clinic for follow-up. Which of the following is most important for the client to use for continued alleviation of anxiety? 1. Recognizing when she is feeling anxious. 2. Understanding reasons for her anxiety. 3. Using adaptive and palliative methods to reduce anxiety. 4. Describing the situations preceding her feelings of anxiety.
3. The client with anxiety may be able to learn to recognize when she is feeling anxious, understand the reasons for her anxiety, and be able to describe situations that preceded her feelings of anxiety. However, she is likely to continue to experience symptoms unless she has also learned to use adaptive and palliative methods to reduce anxiety.
A third-grade child is referred to the mental health clinic by the school nurse because he is fearful, anxious, and socially isolated. After meeting with the client, the nurse talks with his mother, who says, "It's that school nurse again. She's done nothing but try to make trouble for our family since my son started school. And now you're in on it." The nurse should respond by saying: 1. "The school nurse is concerned about your son and is only doing her job." 2. "We see a number of children who go to your son's school. He isn't the only one." 3. "You sound pretty angry with the school nurse. Tell me what has happened." 4. "Let me tell you why your son was referred, and then you can tell me about your concerns."
3. The mother's feelings are the priority here. Addressing the mother's feelings and asking for her view of the situation is most important in building a relationship with the family. Ignoring the mother's feelings will hinder the relationship. Defending the school nurse and the school puts the client's mother on the defensive and stifles communication.
The nurse notices that a client diagnosed with Major Depression and Social Phobia must get up and move to another area when someone sits next to her. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate? 1. Ignore the client's behavior. 2. Question the client about her avoidance of others. 3. Convey awareness of the client's anxiety about being around others. 4. Tell the other clients to follow the client when she moves away.
3. The nurse conveys empathy and awareness of the client's need to reduce anxiety by showing acceptance and understanding to the client, thereby promoting trust. Ignoring the behavior, questioning the client about her avoidance of others, or telling other clients to follow her when she moves are not therapeutic or appropriate.
When developing the plan of care for a client with acute stress disorder who lost her sister in a boating accident, which of the following should the nurse initiate? 1. Helping the client to evaluate her sister's behavior. 2. Telling the client to avoid details of the accident. 3. Facilitating progressive review of the accident and its consequences. 4. Postponing discussion of the accident until the client brings it up.
3. The nurse should facilitate progressive review of the accident and its consequences to help the client integrate feelings and memories and to begin the grieving process. Helping the client to evaluate her sister's behavior, telling the client to avoid details of the accident, or postponing the discussion of the accident until the client brings it up is not therapeutic and does not facilitate the development of trust in the nurse. Such actions do not facilitate review of the accident, which is necessary to help the client integrate feelings and memories and begin the grieving process.
A client is diagnosed with agoraphobia without panic disorder. Which type of therapy is most effective for this illness? 1. Insight therapy. 2. Group therapy. 3. Behavior therapy. 4. Psychoanalysis.
3. The nurse should suggest behavior therapy, which is most successful for clients with phobias. Systematic desensitization, flooding, exposure, and self-exposure treatments are most therapeutic for clients with phobias. Self-exposure treatment is being increasingly used to avoid frequent therapy sessions. Insight therapy, exploration of the dynamics of the client's personality, is not helpful because the process of anxiety underlies the disorder. Group therapy or psychoanalysis, which deals with repressed, intrapsychic conflicts, is not helpful for the client with phobias because it does not help to manage the underlying anxiety or disorder.
A client with suspected abuse describes her husband as a good man who works hard and provides well for his family. She does not work outside the home and states that she is proud to be a wife and mother just like her own mother. The nurse interprets the family pattern described by the client as best illustrating which of the following as characteristic of abusive families? 1. Tight, impermeable boundaries. 2. Unbalanced power ratio. 3. Role stereotyping. 4. Dysfunctional feeling tone.
3. The traditional and rigid gender roles described by the client are examples of role stereotyping. Impermeable boundaries, unbalanced power ratio, and dysfunctional feeling tone are also common in abusive families.
An adult client diagnosed with anxiety disorder becomes anxious when she touches fruits and vegetables. What should the nurse do? 1. Instruct the woman to avoid touching these foods. 2. Ask the woman why she becomes anxious in these situations. 3. Assist the woman to make a plan for her family to do the food shopping and preparation. 4. Teach the woman to use cognitive behavioral approaches to manage her anxiety.
4. Cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating anxiety disorders. The nurse can assist the client in identifying the onset of the fears that cause the anxiety and develop strategies to modify the behavior associated with the fears. Avoiding touching foods, asking about reasons for the anxiety, and providing ways to work around touching the foods do not deal with the anxiety and are not interventions that will help this client.
The mother of a school-aged child tells the nurse that, "For most of the past year my husband was unemployed and I worked a second job. Twice during the year I spanked my son repeatedly when he refused to obey. It has not happened again. Our family is back to normal." After assessing the family, the nurse decides that the child is still at risk for abuse. Which of the following observations best supports this conclusion? 1. The parents say they are taking away privileges when their son refuses to obey. 2. The child has talked about family activities with the nurse. 3. The parent's are less negative toward the nurse. 4. The child wears long sleeve shirts and long pants, even in warm weather.
4. Parental use of nonviolent discipline, the child's talk about what the family is doing and the easing of the parent's negativity toward the school nurse are all signs of progress. Avoidance and wearing clothes inappropriate for the weather implies that the child has something to hide, likely signs of physical abuse.
When obtaining a nursing history from parents who are suspected of abusing their child, which of the following characteristics about the parents should the nurse particularly assess? 1. Attentiveness to the child's needs. 2. Self-blame for the injury to the child. 3. Ability to relate the child's developmental achievements. 4. Difficulty with controlling aggression.
4. Parents of an abused child have difficulty controlling their aggressive behaviors. They may blame the child or others for the injury, may not ask questions about treatment, and may not know developmental information.
The client diagnosed with a fear of eating in public places or in front of other people has finished eating lunch in the dining area in the nurse's presence. Which of the following statements by the nurse should reinforce the client's positive action? 1. "It wasn't so hard, now was it?" 2. "At supper, I hope to see you eat with a group of people." 3. "You must have been hungry today." 4. "It is progress for you to eat in the dining room with me."
4. Saying, "It's a sign of progress to eat in the dining area with me," conveys positive reinforcement and gives the client hope and confidence, thus reinforcing the adaptive behavior. Stating, "It wasn't so hard, now was it," decreases the client's self-worth and minimizes his accomplishment. Stating, "At supper, I hope to see you eat with a group of people," will overwhelm the client and increase anxiety. Stating, "You must have been hungry today," ignores the client's positive behavior and shows the nurse's lack of understanding of the dynamics of the disorder.
A client with acute stress disorder states to the nurse, "I keep having horrible nightmares about the car accident that killed my daughter. I shouldn't have taken her with me to the store." Which of the following responses by the nurse is most therapeutic? 1. "Don't keep torturing yourself with such horrible thoughts." 2. "Stop blaming yourself. It's only hurting you." 3. "Let's talk about something that is a bit more pleasant." 4. "The accident just happened and could not have been predicted."
4. Saying, "The accident just happened and could not have been predicted," provides the client with an objective perception of the event instead of the client's perceived role. This type of statement reflects active listening and helps to reduce feelings of blame and guilt. Saying, "Don't keep torturing yourself," or "Stop blaming yourself," is inappropriate because it tells the client what to do, subsequently delaying the therapeutic process. The statement, "Let's talk about something that is a bit more pleasant," ignores the client's feelings and changes the subject. The client needs to verbalize feelings and decrease feelings of isolation.
116.A newly admitted 20-year-old client, diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), reluctantly reveals that she escaped from a satanic cult 2 years ago. The mother has been in the cult since the client was 3 years old and refused to leave with the client. The client says, "Nobody will ever believe the horrible things the men did to me and my mother never stopped them." Which of the following responses is appropriate for the nurse to make? 1. "I'll believe anything you tell me. You can trust me." 2. "I can't understand why your mother didn't protect you. It's not right." 3. "Tell me about the cult. I didn't know there were any near here." 4. "It must be difficult to talk about what happened. I'm willing to listen."
4. Survivors of trauma/ torture have a lot of difficulty with trust and do not readily talk about the horrible events. Therefore, empathy and a willingness to listen without pressuring the client are crucial. Option 1 may or may not be possible and does not convey the empathy. It is sometimes difficult to believe what satanic cults can do to children. Option 2 diverts attention from the client to the mother. Option 3 shows more interest in the cult than the client.
A client with posttraumatic stress disorder needs to find new housing and wants to wait for a month before setting another appointment to see the nurse. The nurse interprets this action as which of the following? 1. A method of avoidance. 2. A detriment to progress. 3. The end of treatment. 4. A necessary break in treatment.
4. The nurse judges the client's request for an interruption in treatment as a necessary break in treatment. A "time-out" is common and necessary to enable the client to focus on pressing problems and solutions. It is not necessarily a method of avoidance, a detriment to progress, or the end of treatment. A problem like housing can be very stressful and require all of the client's energy and attention, with none left for the emotional stress of treatment.
The client diagnosed with agoraphobia refuses to walk down the hall to the group room. Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate? 1. "I know you can do it." 2. "Try holding onto the wall as you walk." 3. "You can miss group this one time." 4. "I'll walk with you."
4. The nurse should walk with the client to activate adaptive coping for the client experiencing high anxiety and decreased motivation and energy. Stating, "I know you can do it," "Try holding on to the wall," or "You can miss group this one time," maintains the client's avoidance, thus reinforcing the client's behavior, and does not help the client begin to cope with the problem.
After a client reveals a history of childhood sexual abuse, the nurse should ask which of the following questions first ? 1. "What other forms of abuse did you experience?" 2. "How long did the abuse go on?" 3. "Was there a time when you did not remember the abuse?" 4. "Does your abuser still have contact with young children?"
4. The safety of other children is a primary concern. It is critical to know whether other children are at risk for being sexually abused by the same perpetrator. Asking about other forms of abuse, how long the abuse went on, and if the victim did not remember the abuse are important questions after the safety of other children is determined.
When caring for a client who was a victim of a crime, the nurse is aware that recovery from any crime can be a long and difficult process depending on the meaning it has for the client. Which of the following should the nurse establish as a victim's ultimate goal in reconstructing his or her life? 1. Getting through the shock and confusion. 2. Carrying out home and work routines. 3. Resolving grief over any losses. 4. Regaining a sense of security and safety.
4. Ultimately, a victim of a crime needs to move from being a victim to being a survivor. A reasonable sense of safety and security is key to this transition. Getting through the shock and confusion, carrying out home and work routines, and resolving grief over any losses represent steps along the way to becoming a survivor.
In the process of dealing with the intense feelings about being raped, victims commonly verbalize that they were afraid they would be killed during the rape and wish that they had been. The nurse should decide that further counseling is needed if the client voices which of the following? 1. "I didn't fight him, but I guess I did the right thing because I'm alive." 2. "Suicide would be an easy escape from all this pain, but I couldn't do it to myself." 3. "I wish they gave the death penalty to all rapists and other sexual predators." 4. "I get so angry at times that I have to have a couple of drinks before I sleep."
4. Use of alcohol reflects unhealthy coping mechanisms. A client's report of needing alcohol to calm down needs to be addressed. Survival is the most important goal during a rape. The client's acknowledging this indicates that she is aware that she made the right choice. Although suicidal thoughts are common, the statement that suicide is an easy escape but the client would be unable to do it indicates low risk. Fantasies of revenge, such as giving the death penalty to all rapists, are natural reactions and are a problem only if the client intends to carry them out directly.