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The client asks the nurse, 'What does having psychosomatic symptoms mean?' What should the nurse reply?
- A. It means you're not physically sick.
- B. It means that stress and/or emotions can cause or worsen physical symptoms.
- C. It means that you'll be well when you get your life in order.
- D. It means that your symptoms are a product of your imagination.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Psychosomatic symptoms are real physical manifestations caused or worsened by stress or emotions, not imagined or consciously controlled.
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The husband of a client with hypochondriasis has accompanied his wife to the follow-up doctor's visit. While waiting for the doctor, the husband expresses to the nurse his frustration with his wife's obsession about illness. He asks the nurse, 'What can I do?' The best response by the nurse would be.
- A. Try ignoring her complaints, and they should subside.
- B. Try finding an activity you enjoy doing together to help her feel better overall.
- C. Try to be the client and understand that she is worried that she is sick.
- D. Try to give her some sort of reward when she resists complaining about her illnesses.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Encouraging shared pleasurable activities provides emotional support and may reduce focus on illness.
A middle-aged client goes to the physician falsely complaining of hip pain. The client's intention is to fake chronic hip pain to apply for disability benefits from the government. Which best reflects the client's potential diagnosis?
- A. Malingering
- B. Hypochondriasis
- C. Factitious disorder
- D. Munchausen's syndrome by proxy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Malingering involves intentionally faking symptoms for external gain, such as disability benefits.
An actor has prepared extensively for his first stage production. On the morning of the opening of the play, the actor awakens with laryngitis. From which disorder is the actor most likely suffering?
- A. Acute upper respiratory infection
- B. Conversion disorder
- C. Hysteria
- D. Somatization disorder
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Conversion disorder involves sudden sensory or motor deficits, like laryngitis, linked to psychological stress, not organic causes.
Which statement would indicate to the nurse that the client has understood somatic symptom illness?
- A. As soon as my symptoms go away, I'll be my old self again.
- B. How I handle stress and emotions can affect my physical health.
- C. I have to avoid stress all my life to avoid getting sick again.
- D. Taking medication won't help my pain since it's caused by stress.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Understanding the link between stress, emotions, and physical health reflects accurate insight into somatic symptom illness.
The nurse is working with the client to develop emotion-focused coping strategies. Which should the nurse include as an emotion-focused coping strategy?
- A. Problem solving
- B. Assertiveness techniques
- C. Role-playing
- D. Deep breathing techniques
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Deep breathing is an emotion-focused coping strategy that helps manage stress and emotional distress.