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A client is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and is prescribed medication therapy. Which agent would the nurse expect to administer to the client to obtain the quickest relief from anxiety symptoms?
- A. Buspirone
- B. Venlafaxine
- C. Alprazolam
- D. Imipramine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Alprazolam (C), a benzodiazepine, provides the fastest relief from anxiety symptoms due to its rapid onset. Buspirone (A) and venlafaxine (B) take weeks to be effective, and imipramine (D), a TCA, is slower and less used for GAD.
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A nurse who has worked with a client diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) when he was an inpatient on the psychiatric unit sees the client in the waiting room of the outpatient psychiatric clinic. The client motions to the nurse to come over so he can tell the nurse how things have been going since he was discharged. While talking with the client, the nurse determines that the client?s therapy has been effective when the client states which of the following?
- A. I am still experiencing quite a bit of stress at home and at work; things are different at home than they were in the hospital.
- B. When my mother-in-law comes over now, I go out to my workshop and work on one of my projects.
- C. I?m still drinking coffee; I can?t quit after drinking it all these years.
- D. I?ve learned having a beer after I get home from work helps me relax.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Going to the workshop (B) indicates effective coping by using a constructive activity to manage stress from a trigger (mother-in-law?s visits). Persistent stress (A) suggests ineffective therapy, coffee (C) can worsen anxiety, and alcohol use (D) is an unhealthy coping mechanism.
A female client is diagnosed with panic disorder. The client tells the nurse that she hasn?t left her house in more than a month because she was afraid of another attack. She visited the mental health clinic today only because her son brought her. Which nursing diagnosis would be a priority for this client?
- A. Powerlessness related to symptoms of anxiety
- B. Decisional Conflict related to fear of leaving the house
- C. Ineffective Family Coping related to symptoms of anxiety
- D. Social Isolation related to fear of recurrence of anxiety symptoms
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Social Isolation (D) is the priority, as the client?s fear of panic attacks has led to avoiding leaving home, significantly impacting social functioning. Powerlessness (A) and decisional conflict (B) are relevant but less immediate, and ineffective family coping (C) is not supported by the scenario.
A client who has been diagnosed with panic disorder visits the clinic and experiences a panic attack. The client tells the nurse, I?m so nervous. My hands are shaking, and I?m sweating. I feel as if I?m having a stroke right now. Which of the following would the nurse do first?
- A. Stay with the client while remaining calm.
- B. Move the client to a safe environment.
- C. Tell the client that the attack will soon pass.
- D. Teach the client deep breathing techniques to calm her.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Staying with the client while remaining calm (A) is the first priority during a panic attack to provide reassurance and safety, reducing fear. Moving to a safe environment (B) is secondary, reassuring about duration (C) is less immediate, and teaching breathing (D) requires the client to be calmer first.
A group of students is reviewing information about anxiety disorders in preparation for a class examination. The students demonstrate understanding of the material when they state which of the following?
- A. Anxiety disorders rank second to depression in psychiatric illnesses being treated.
- B. Women experience anxiety disorders more often than do men.
- C. Most anxiety disorders tend to be short term with individuals achieving full recovery.
- D. Anxiety disorders are more common in children than in adolescents.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Women experience anxiety disorders more frequently than men (B), likely due to hormonal and social factors. Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions (A), many are chronic (C), and prevalence is higher in adolescents than children (D).
While interviewing a client, the client reports an intense fear of spiders, stating, I can?t be near them. I get so upset. I start to sweat and hyperventilate if I see one. The nurse documents this finding as which of the following?
- A. Algophobia
- B. Entomophobia
- C. Arachnophobia
- D. Cynophobia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Arachnophobia (C) is the specific fear of spiders, matching the client?s symptoms of sweating and hyperventilation. Algophobia (A) is fear of pain, entomophobia (B) is a broader fear of insects, and cynophobia (D) is fear of dogs.