A patient has a long history of heavy alcohol use and has been admitted to the hospital for traumatic injuries after a motor vehicle accident. How should the nurse best assess the patient for physical dependence on alcohol?
A) Assess the patient's perceptions of his coping strategies.
B) Assess whether the patient ever feels guilty about his drinking.
C) Assess the patient for signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
D) Assess the patient's typical alcohol intake.
C
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Physical dependence involves physiologic adaptation to chronic use of a drug so that withdrawal, or unpleasant symptoms, occurs when the drug is stopped, when its action is antagonized by another drug, or when its dosage is decreased. Assessment of coping strategies, alcohol intake, and the patient's feelings about his drinking are relevant, but none directly addresses the possibility of physical dependence.
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