A patient who is admitted to your unit says that he has posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He had a very stressful experience when in high school and has never really recovered. A nursing action that would be appropriate is:
1. asking the patient if he would like to talk to you about what caused the posttrau-matic stress.
2. always letting the patient know when you come into the room and making sure that he knows you are there before you start to speak to him.
3. providing sleeping medication for him so that he can sleep at night.
4. allowing the patient to talk about his condition as much as he would like.
2
Patients with PTSD often have an exaggerated startle reflex or are hypervigilant. By an-nouncing your presence to the patient before you speak, he will be aware that you are close and then be less prone to a startle response.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 1250
OBJ: 6 TOP: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Psychological Integrity
You might also like to view...
To intervene effectively with clients with somatoform disorders, it is essential that the nurse:
1. Help the client express a decreased degree of comfort regarding physical symptoms. 2. Encourage the client's expression of feelings symbolically through physical symptoms. 3. Address client anxiety at a later time. 4. Recognize and understand the client's self-perception as demonstrating an inability to cope.
A 12-year-old child is in the hospital for an extended period of time. Which action by the nurse would most promote the child's sense of self-esteem?
A. Allow the child to set a daily schedule for activities. B. Encourage the child's friend to come and visit. C. Have the child choose food from the menu. D. Let the parents have unlimited visitation time.
Which statements made by a couple who have recently retired support the nurse's evaluation that the transition to retirement has been a successful one? (Select all that apply.)
a. "I'm afraid we can't make it that week-end; we'll be visiting the grandchildren." b. "I'm not accustomed to sharing my kitch-en with anyone else." c. "One week I was working 50 hours and the next I didn't have to get up until noon." d. "I often wonder if my buddies from the plant miss me." e. "We have found a few painless ways to reduce our monthly expenses."
A nurse is giving instructions to a patient who will be receiving oral iron supplements. Which instructions will be included in the teaching plan?
a. Take the iron tablets with milk or antacids. b. Crush the pills as needed to help with swallowing. c. Take the iron tablets with meals if gastrointestinal distress occurs. d. If black tarry stools occur, report it to the doctor immediately.