A 23-year-old male veteran of the war in Iraq is admitted with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following his arrest for destroying his girlfriend's apartment
This is not his first angry outburst resulting in destruction of property. Which interventions by the nurse will be most helpful to this patient? (Select all that apply.)
a. Allow opportunities for him to express his anger.
b. Provide patient and family teaching regarding PTSD.
c. Tell the patient that hurting himself will solve nothing.
d. Report him to the authorities.
e. Exhibit a nonjudgmental attitude.
f. Reassure him that everything will be all right.
ANS: A, B, E
Allowing appropriate opportunities for him to express his anger will help him learn how to control his emotions or express them in a socially acceptable manner. Providing education to the patient and family will help them learn why he behaves the way he does and how to prevent or redirect his anger. Options C, D, and F are nontherapeutic in that they undermine the nurse-patient relationship. Being nonjudgmental in interactions with patients is a basic tenet of developing a therapeutic relationship.
You might also like to view...
A patient complains of pain. The nursing order calls for pain medication via injection. The patient is afraid of needles. The nurse can assist the patient through this stressful incident by encouraging the patient to think of a relaxing situation
The nurse's actions can be identified as: a. restorative care. b. cognitive therapy. c. assertiveness training. d. progressive muscle relaxation.
Which of the following would be an expected outcome for a client diagnosed with depression?
A) Utilizes self-blame to cope B) Internalizes feelings C) Limited interaction with others D) Identifies personal strengths
The nurse encouraging an older patient to start pulmonary rehabilitation shares the benefits of the program, including which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. Socialization b. Decreased cardiac risks c. Nutrition counseling d. Weight management e. Sports participation
A nurse discusses with legislators the importance of passing legislation to ban smoking in all pub-lic places. Which of the following is the nurse becoming involved in?
a. Policy b. Politics c. Law d. Health policy