ATI Mental Health Practice B Related

Review ATI Mental Health Practice B related questions and content

A client has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and expresses worrying about their job, family, and health, feeling a loss of control. What should the nurse do first?

  • A. Administer a prescribed antianxiety medication.
  • B. Encourage the client to attend a support group.
  • C. Identify triggers of the client's anxiety.
  • D. Teach the client deep breathing techniques.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The initial step for the nurse is to teach the client deep breathing techniques to aid in managing anxiety symptoms. Deep breathing exercises can help the client relax, reduce anxiety levels, and regain a sense of control. This intervention is non-invasive, empowering the client to develop a coping strategy for immediate use when feeling overwhelmed by anxiety. Administering medication (Choice A) should not be the first action unless the client is in severe distress. Encouraging attendance at a support group (Choice B) and identifying triggers of anxiety (Choice C) are important but teaching coping strategies like deep breathing comes first to help the client feel more in control of managing their anxiety.