Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition - Obsessive?Compulsive and Related Disorders Related

Review Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition - Obsessive?Compulsive and Related Disorders related questions and content

The nurse is caring for her first client with obsessive/compulsive disorder. During the treatment team meeting, the nurse shares her frustration as to the client's inability to stop washing his hands. The nurse manager offers which one of the following explanations?

  • A. The hand washing represents a way to exert independence from the staff.
  • B. The client is not aware of the excessive hand washing.
  • C. The client does not think anything is abnormal with washing his hands repeatedly.
  • D. The client feels terrible but cannot stop washing his hands to try to get rid of his anxiety.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The client's compulsive hand washing is driven by anxiety relief, not independence, unawareness, or denial of abnormality, as rituals are an attempt to manage overwhelming anxiety.