Age Specific Care Competency Related

Review Age Specific Care Competency related questions and content

A nurse interviews a patient abducted and raped at gunpoint by an unknown assailant. The patient says, "I can't talk about it. Nothing happened. I have to forget." What is the patient's present coping strategy?

  • A. Somatization
  • B. Repression
  • C. Projection
  • D. Denial
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Denial. The patient's statement of "I can't talk about it. Nothing happened. I have to forget" indicates a denial coping strategy. Denial is a defense mechanism where individuals refuse to acknowledge a stressful situation or event. In this case, the patient is attempting to block out the traumatic experience of being abducted and raped by denying its existence. This coping mechanism helps the individual temporarily avoid the emotional distress associated with the event.

A: Somatization involves expressing emotional distress through physical symptoms, which is not evident in the patient's statement.
B: Repression is the unconscious blocking of unpleasant memories, whereas the patient is consciously trying to forget the event.
C: Projection involves attributing one's own thoughts or feelings to others, which is not demonstrated in the patient's statement.

In summary, the patient's use of denial as a coping strategy is evident in their attempt to minimize the traumatic experience by refusing to acknowledge it.