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A client diagnosed with catatonic schizophrenia demonstrates severe withdrawal by lying on the bed with the body pulled into a fetal position. Which intervention by the nurse is most appropriate to increase interpersonal communication?
- A. Ask the client direct questions to encourage talking.
- B. Leave the client alone and intermittently check on her or him.
- C. Sit beside the client in silence and occasionally ask open-ended questions.
- D. Take the client into the dayroom with the other clients, to encourage interaction.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Clients who are withdrawn may be immobile and mute, and they require consistent, repeated approaches. Intervention includes the establishment of interpersonal contact. The nurse facilitates communication with the client by sitting in silence, asking open-ended questions, and pausing to provide opportunities for the client to respond. Asking this client direct questions is not therapeutic. The client is not to be left alone. This client is not capable of interaction in the dayroom.
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The client who is dying states to the nurse, 'I hope I am worthy of heaven.' Which intervention should the nurse implement first after determining that this client is experiencing fear?
- A. Help the client express fears.
- B. Assess the nature of the client's fears.
- C. Help the client identify coping mechanisms that were successful in the past.
- D. Document verbal and nonverbal expressions of fear and other significant data.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Fear can range from a paralyzing, overwhelming feeling to a mild concern. Therefore, the nurse would first assess the nature of the client's fears to know how best to help the client. Next, the nurse would help the client express his or her fears. The client's fear may not be limited to the fear of dying, and the nurse needs this information to help the client. After the nurse is aware of the client's fears, the methods that the client used to cope with fear in the past are identified. From the interventions listed, the nurse would document verbal and nonverbal expressions of fear and any other significant data as a final intervention.
A client who received an implanted port for intermittent chemotherapy says, 'I'm not sure if I can handle having a tube coming out of me. What will my friends think?' Which action should the nurse implement first?
- A. Show the client various central line catheters.
- B. Assure the client that his friends will understand.
- C. Explain that implanted ports are subcutaneous and not visible.
- D. Notify the primary health care provider of the client's concerns.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An implanted port is subcutaneous; it is not visible, and it has no external tubing. Tubing is used when an intravenous line is connected, and the port is accessed for therapy. The remaining options do not correct the client's confusion about the implanted port. Notifying the provider is not indicated. Inquiring about the client's friends is a reasonable response, but it can also provide false hope that the friends will be accepting. In addition, the nurse is likely to cause more anxiety and concern by providing information about the catheter's subcutaneous location. Showing various central line catheters is unlikely to be beneficial because the client will not be using them; in addition, this can heighten client anxiety and concerns.
A client who has a history of depression has been prescribed nadolol for the management of angina pectoris. Which consideration is most important when the nurse plans to counsel this client about the effects of this medication?
- A. Risk of tachycardia
- B. Probability of fatigue
- C. High incidence of hypoglycemia
- D. Possible exacerbation of depression
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clients with depression or a history of depression have experienced an exacerbation of depression after beginning therapy with beta-adrenergic blocking agents. These clients should be monitored carefully if these agents are prescribed. The medication would cause bradycardia rather than tachycardia. Fatigue is a possible side effect, but it is not the most important item. Hypoglycemia is a sign that is masked with beta blockers.
The nurse is talking in the lounge with other nurses about grief and loss. The nurse understands which to be true regarding grief and loss? Select all that apply.
- A. The process of grief is detrimental to physical and emotional health.
- B. Age, gender, and culture are a few factors that influence the grieving process.
- C. The nurse must explore his own feelings about death before he may effectively help others.
- D. The nurse should discourage expression of grief and loss because it may upset other clients nearby.
- E. The nurse can help the family develop ways to relieve loneliness and depression following the death of a loved one.
Correct Answer: B,C,E
Rationale: Grief is influenced by age, gender, and culture (B), nurses must process their own feelings about death (C), and helping families cope with loneliness/depression (E) is appropriate. Grief is not inherently detrimental (A), and discouraging expression (D) is counterproductive.
The nurse is caring for a client in the psychiatric unit who has issues with coping and defense mechanisms. The nurse understands that which is true regarding coping and defense mechanisms? Select all that apply.
- A. Coping mechanisms are destructive ways to avoid dealing with reality.
- B. Physical symptoms, general irritability, and self-destructive behaviors are some of the signs of inadequate coping.
- C. Criticizing ineffective defense mechanisms will guide the client toward better coping techniques.
- D. Ineffective coping mechanisms allow anxiety to increase, triggering the client to utilize defense mechanisms in order to protect himself from the anxiety.
- E. The inability to cope can be caused by a lack of an adequate support system, a serious medical diagnosis, situational crises, or a lack of psychological resources.
Correct Answer: B,D,E
Rationale: Coping mechanisms are constructive, not destructive, making A incorrect. Criticizing defense mechanisms is nontherapeutic, making C incorrect. Signs of inadequate coping, anxiety escalation, and causes of poor coping are accurate.