NURS4203 - Week 4 - Chapter 11: Anxiety questions
with correct answers
A nurse wishes to teach alternative coping strategies to a patient
experiencing severe anxiety. The nurse will first need to:
a. Verify the patients learning style.
b. Create outcomes and a teaching plan.
c. Lower the patients current anxiety level.
d. Assess how the patient uses defense mechanisms. Correct Answer-c.
Lower the patients current anxiety level.
A patient experiencing severe anxiety has a significantly narrowed
perceptual field and difficulty attending to events in the environment. A
patient experiencing severe anxiety will not learn readily. Determining
preferred modes of learning, devising outcomes, and constructing
teaching plans are relevant to the task but are not the priority measure.
The nurse has already assessed the patients anxiety level. Using defense
mechanisms does not apply.
A patient approaches the nurse and impatiently blurts out, Youve got to
help me! Something terrible is happening. My heart is pounding. The
nurse responds, Its almost time for visiting hours. Lets get your hair
combed. Which approach has the nurse used?
a. Bringing up an irrelevant topic
b. Responding to physical needs
,c. Addressing false cognitions
d. Focusing Correct Answer-a. Bringing up an irrelevant topic
The patient is experiencing anxiety. The nurse has closed off patient-
centered communication by changing the subject. The introduction of an
irrelevant topic makes the nurse feel better. The nurse may be
uncomfortable dealing with the patients severe anxiety. The nurse has
not responded to the patients physical needs. There is no evidence of
false cognition. Focusing is a therapeutic communication technique used
to concentrate attention on a single issue.
A patient experiencing moderate anxiety says, I feel undone. An
appropriate response for the nurse would be:
a. Why do you suppose you are feeling anxious?
b. What would you like me to do to help you?
c. Im not sure I understand. Give me an example.
d. You must get your feelings under control before we can continue.
Correct Answer-c. Im not sure I understand. Give me an example.
Increased anxiety results in scattered thoughts and an inability to
articulate clearly. Clarification helps the patient identify his or her
thoughts and feelings. Asking the patient why he or she feels anxious is
nontherapeutic, and the patient will not likely have an answer. The
patient may be unable to determine what he or she would like the nurse
to do to help. Telling the patient to get his or her feelings under control
is a directive the patient is probably unable to accomplish.
, A patient with a high level of motor activity runs from chair to chair and
cries, Theyre coming! Theyre coming! The patient does not follow
instructions or respond to verbal interventions from staff. The initial
nursing intervention of highest priority is to:
a. provide for patient safety.
b. increase environmental stimuli.
c. respect the patients personal space.
d. encourage the clarification of feelings. Correct Answer-a. provide for
patient safety.
Safety is of highest priority; the patient who is experiencing panic is at
high risk for self-injury related to an increase in nongoal-directed motor
activity, distorted perceptions, and disordered thoughts. The goal should
be to decrease the environmental stimuli. Respecting the patients
personal space is a lower priority than safety. The clarification of
feelings cannot take place until the level of anxiety is lowered.
A patient with a high level of motor activity runs from chair to chair and
cries, Theyre coming! Theyre coming! The patient is unable to follow
instructions or respond to verbal interventions from staff. Which nursing
diagnosis has the highest priority?
a. Risk for injury
b. Self-care deficit
c. Disturbed energy field
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