You are the nurse caring for a 35-year-old female who has just been diagnosed as a paraplegic after a diving accident. What emotions would you expect this patient to exhibit in the early stages of her rehabilitation?

Question

(Mark all that apply.)
A) Acceptance
B) Denial
C) Bargaining
D) Hostility
E) Depression

Answer 1

Ans: B, D, E
Feedback: The most frequently reported chronic illness and disability-triggered reactions include shock, which is a short-lived reaction experienced at the onset of a traumatic and sudden injury or the onset of a life-threatening or chronic and debilitating disease; anxiety, which is a panic-like state as the nature and magnitude of the event is processed; denial, which is a defense mechanism used to ward off anxiety and other intense emotions; depression, which reflects the realization of the permanence and magnitude of the chronic illness or disability; anger and hostility that are both self-directed and externalized; and adjustment, which is exemplified by self-acceptance as a person with a chronic illness or disability and marked by reintegration into the community. Neither option A nor option C will not be exhibited this early in the rehabilitation process.