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Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Bank Chapter 1
A distraught, single, first-time mother cries and asks a nurse, How can I go to work if I cant afford childcare? What is the nurses initial action in assisting the client with the problem-solving process? A. Determine the risks and benefits for each alternative. B. Formulate goals for resolution of the problem. C. Evaluate the outcome of the implemented alternative. D. Assess the facts of the situation. - ✔✔ANS: D Before any other steps can be taken, accurate information about the situation must be gathered and assessed. A nursing instructor is asking students about diseases of adaptation and when they are likely to occur. Which student response indicates that learning has occurred? A. When an individual has limited experience dealing with stress B. When an individual inherits maladaptive genes C. When an individual experiences existing conditions that exacerbate stress D. When an individuals physiological and psychological resources have become depleted - ✔✔ANS: D During the stage of exhaustion of the general adaptation syndrome, the individual loses the capacity to adapt effectively because physiological and psychological resources have become depleted. This is the time when diseases of adaptation may occur. When an individuals stress response is sustained over a long period of time, which physiological effect of the endocrine system should a nurse anticipate? A. Decreased resistance to disease B. Increased libido C. Decreased blood pressure
D. Increased inflammatory response - ✔✔ANS: A In a general adaptation syndrome, prolonged exposure to stress leads to the stage of exhaustion at which time the bodys compensatory mechanisms no longer function effectively and diseases of adaptation occur. A decreased immune response is seen at this stage Which symptom should a nurse identify as typical of the fight-or-flight response? A. Pupil constriction B. Increased heart rate C. Increased salivation D. Increased peristalsis - ✔✔ANS: B During the fight-or-flight response, the heart rate increases in response to the release of epinephrine. Pupils dilate to enhance vision. Salivation and peristalsis decrease as the body slows unessential functions. OK A nurse is evaluating a clients response to stress. What would indicate to the nurse that the client is experiencing a secondary appraisal of the stressful event? A. When the individual judges the event to be benign B. When the individual judges the event to be irrelevant C. When the individual judges the resources and skills needed to deal with the event D. When the individual judges the event to be pleasurable - ✔✔ANS: C When the individual judges the resources and skills needed to deal with the event, the individual is conducting a secondary appraisal. There are three types of primary appraisals: irrelevant, benign-positive, and stressful. Research undertaken by Miller and Rahe in 1997 demonstrated a correlation between the effects of life
C. Who do you think is to blame for this situation? D. Why do you think you were fired from your job? E. What skills do you possess that might lead to gainful employment? - ✔✔ANS: A, B, E These questions specifically address the clients coping resources and encourage the client to apply learning from past experiences. These questions also encourage the client to consider alternative methods for dealing with stress. Asking who is to blame does not assess coping abilities but, rather, encourages maladaptive behavior. Requesting an explanation is a nontherapeutic block to communication. A nurse is working with a client who has recently been under a great deal of stress. Which nursing recommendations would be most helpful when assisting the client in coping with stress? Select all that apply. A. Enjoy a pet. B. Spend time with a loved one. C. Listen to music. D. Focus on the stressors. E. Journal your feelings. - ✔✔ANS: A, B, C, E Focusing on the stressors is more likely to increase stress in the clients life. However, pets, music, journaling feelings, and healthy relationships have all been shown to decrease amounts of stress. A nurse is conducting education on anxiety and stress management. Which of the following should be identified as the most important initial step in learning how to manage anxiety? A. Diagnostic blood tests B. Awareness of factors creating stress C. Relaxation exercises D. Identifying support systems - ✔✔ANS: B
Although all of the above answers may be useful in the comprehensive management of stress, the initial step is awareness that stress is being experienced and awareness of factors that create stress A physically and emotionally healthy client has just been fired. During a routine office visit he states to a nurse: Perhaps this was the best thing to happen. Maybe Ill look into pursuing an art degree. How should the nurse characterize the clients appraisal of the job loss stressor? A. Irrelevant B. Harm/loss C. Threatening D. Challenging - ✔✔ANS: D The client perceives the situation of job loss as a challenge and an opportunity for growth. A patient presents in the Emergency Department immediately following a shooting incident in a school where she has been teaching. There is no evidence of physical injury, but she appears very hyperactive and talkative. Which of these symptoms manifested by the patient are common initial biological responses to stress? Select all that apply. A. Constricted pupils B. Watery eyes C. Unusual food cravings D. Increased heart rate E. Increased respirations - ✔✔ANS: B, D, E Increased lacrimal secretions, increased heart rate, and increased respirations are identified as initial biological responses to stress. Since dilated pupils rather than constricted pupils are related to Fight or Flight syndrome,
A. Teenagers! They dont know a thing about real stress. B. Stress occurs only when there is a loss. C. When you are in poor physical condition, you cant experience psychological well-being. D. Stress can be psychological. A threat to self-esteem may result in high stress levels. - ✔✔ANS: D Stress can be physical or psychological in nature. A perceived threat to self-esteem can be as stressful as a physiological change. A bright student confides in the school nurse about conflicts related to attending college or working to add needed financial support to the family. Which coping strategy is most appropriate for the nurse to recommend to the student at this time? A. Meditation B. Problem-solving training C. Relaxation D. Journaling - ✔✔ANS: B The student must assess his or her situation and determine the best course of action. Problem-solving training, by providing structure and objectivity, can assist in decision making. An unemployed college graduate is experiencing severe anxiety over not finding a teaching position and has difficulty with independent problem-solving. During a routine physical examination, the graduate confides in the clinic nurse. Which is the most appropriate nursing intervention? A. Encourage the student to use the alternative coping mechanism of relaxation exercises. B. Complete the problem-solving process for the client. C. Work through the problem-solving process with the client. D. Encourage the client to keep a journal. - ✔✔ANS: C
During times of high anxiety and stress, clients will need more assistance in problem-solving and decision making. A school nurse is assessing a distraught female high school student who is overly concerned because her parents cant afford horseback riding lessons. How should the nurse interpret the students reaction to her perceived problem? A. The problem is endangering her well-being. B. The problem is personally relevant to her. C. The problem is based on immaturity. D. The problem is exceeding her capacity to cope. - ✔✔ANS: B Psychological stressors to self-esteem and self-image are related to how the individual perceives the situation or event. Self-image is of particular importance to adolescents, who feel entitled to have all the advantages that other adolescents experience. Meditation has been shown to be an effective stress management technique. When meditation is effective, what should a nurse expect to assess? A. An achieved state of relaxation B. An achieved insight into ones feelings C. A demonstration of appropriate role behaviors D. An enhanced ability to problem-solve - ✔✔ANS: A Meditation produces relaxation by creating a special state of consciousness through focused concentration. ANS: C
