A nursing interview for a patient being admitted for depression reveals that the patient has been taking a benzodiazepine for anxiety for 3 years

Question

Which actions by the nurse reflect an understanding of the effects of this classification of drugs? Select all that apply.
a. The nurse asks how much of the drug the patient takes daily.
b. The admitting physician is notified of the patient's medication history.
c. The nurse prepares to discuss the process of detoxification with the patient.
d. The nurse suggests to the patient that the dosage is likely to be increased.
e. The patient is interviewed regarding how well the anxiety has been controlled.

Answer 1

ANS: A, B, C
Benzodiazepines are relatively safe and effective for short-term use to control the debilitating symptoms of anxiety. However, longer-term treatment with these drugs raises issues of tol-erance, abuse, and dependence. The medication dosage would not be increased. The effec-tiveness of the medication is irrelevant but rather the length of the therapy is the prime con-cern.