A nurse is assisting a patient with OCD in developing a hierarchy of feared stimuli for exposure therapy. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate during this process?

"We will completely avoid the situations that cause anxiety.”

"You'll need to perform your compulsions while facing these situations.”

"There's no need to confront your fears; they will go away on their own.”

"You should only focus on situations that are easy to tolerate.”

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A rationale:

Avoiding situations that cause anxiety is counterproductive in exposure therapy, which is a common treatment for OCD. Exposure therapy involves gradual and controlled exposure to feared stimuli to reduce anxiety. Avoidance reinforces the anxiety response and prevents habituation. Facing the situations that trigger anxiety is crucial for desensitization.

Choice B rationale:

This choice is correct because exposure therapy for OCD involves facing feared situations while refraining from engaging in compulsions. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. By gradually exposing the individual to these situations and preventing them from performing compulsions, the anxiety response diminishes over time.

Choice C rationale:

Telling the patient that their fears will go away on their own is inaccurate and dismissive of the distress that OCD can cause. OCD is a chronic condition that typically requires evidence-based interventions for symptom reduction. Ignoring the fears and hoping they will disappear without intervention is not a valid therapeutic approach.

Choice D rationale:

Focusing only on situations that are easy to tolerate would not be effective in exposure therapy. The essence of exposure therapy is to confront situations that provoke anxiety gradually, starting with less anxiety-provoking situations and progressing to more challenging ones. This process helps the individual build resilience against anxiety triggers.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

The statement "I always arrange my books on the shelf from tallest to shortest" doesn't indicate an obsession. This behavior might suggest a preference for orderliness or arranging things systematically, but it lacks the distressing, unwanted nature of obsessions.

Choice B rationale:

"I feel an overwhelming urge to wash my hands every 30 minutes" indicates a compulsion rather than an obsession. The urge to wash hands frequently is driven by the need to alleviate anxiety or distress, which is the hallmark of compulsive behaviors.

Choice C rationale:

"I have a ritual of counting to 10 before entering any room" is also a compulsion. The ritual of counting serves as a way to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared outcome associated with entering a room, suggesting a compulsive behavior.

Choice D rationale:

The statement "I keep having thoughts that my family will get hurt if I don't touch the doorknob three times" reflects an obsession. The distressing thought of family harm is the unwanted obsession, and the ritual of touching the doorknob three times is the compulsion aimed at reducing the anxiety caused by the obsession.

A. The obsessions or compulsions are connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent. B. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at achieving perfectionism and high standards. C. The disturbance must be attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition. D. The obsessive-compulsive symptoms are better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

This choice accurately reflects one of the criteria for diagnosing OCD. The obsessions (intrusive and distressing thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts) experienced by individuals with OCD are usually connected to what they are trying to neutralize or prevent. For instance, if someone has an obsessive fear of contamination, their compulsions might involve excessive hand washing to neutralize this fear.

Choice B rationale:

While perfectionism and high standards can be associated with OCD, they are not a primary diagnostic criterion. OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions that cause distress and significantly interfere with a person's daily life.

Choice C rationale:

This option is incorrect. The disturbance in OCD is not attributed to the physiological effects of substances or other medical conditions. It is a distinct mental health condition that is not solely a result of substance use or another medical issue.

Choice D rationale:

This option is incorrect. The symptoms of OCD should not be better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder. While comorbidities can exist, OCD has its own unique set of obsessions and compulsions that differentiate it from other mental disorders.

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A nurse is assisting a patient with OCD in developing a hierarchy of feared stimuli for exposure therapy. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate during this process?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is assessing a client who has been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Which statement by the client indicates an obsession?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is explaining the diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to a group of nursing students. Which of the following statements accurately reflects one of the criteria for diagnosing OCD?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

(Select All That Apply):. A nurse is assessing a group of clients for their understanding of treatment approaches for OCDs. Which options accurately describe cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and its components? Select all that apply.

A nurse is teaching a group of patients about treatment approaches for OCDs. Which statement accurately explains the rationale behind gradually increasing the dosage of medication during treatment?

A client with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is explaining their experiences to a nurse. Which statements by the client indicate symptoms of BDD? Select all that apply.

(Select all that apply) A nurse is collaborating with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care for a patient with OCD. Which actions should the nurse take as part of this collaboration?

A nurse is providing care to a client with trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) What intervention would be most appropriate to include in the client's care plan?

A client with OCD is undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) The client asks the nurse, "How does exposure and response prevention work in treating OCD?" Which response by the nurse accurately explains this aspect of CBT?

A nurse is providing care for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Which statement by the nurse would be most appropriate in this situation?

(Select all that apply) A nurse is implementing interventions for a patient with OCD based on the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) Which interventions would the nurse include for this patient?