A nurse is providing care for a client who has recently returned from active combat and lost a close friend during combat.
Which statement by the client indicates that they are experiencing traumatic grief?
“It has been more than a year, and I still don’t want to leave the house.”.
“I can’t cry when I talk about my friend because I’m supposed to be strong.”.
“I should have been the one who was killed instead of my friend.”.
“When I have flashbacks, it feels like my heart is going to beat through my chest.”.
The Correct Answer is C
The correct answer is Choice C
Choice A rationale: A reluctance to leave the house for over a year suggests a struggle with grief and possibly depression but does not specifically indicate traumatic grief. It reflects difficulty in moving forward but lacks the intense guilt associated with traumatic grief.
Choice B rationale: Inability to cry due to a perceived need to be strong reflects emotional suppression and societal expectations. It does not directly point to traumatic grief, which often involves more severe symptoms like intense guilt and preoccupation with the deceased.
Choice C rationale: Feeling that one should have been killed instead of a friend indicates severe survivor guilt, a core component of traumatic grief. This statement reflects an intense emotional reaction and an inability to reconcile the loss, leading to profound distress and dysfunction.
Choice D rationale: Flashbacks and physical symptoms like a racing heart suggest post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rather than traumatic grief. PTSD involves re-experiencing traumatic events, whereas traumatic grief focuses more on the loss and associated guilt
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
While understanding the concepts of right and wrong can be important in many aspects of nursing care, it may not be particularly helpful in this context. The patient’s stressors are not necessarily related to moral or ethical dilemmas.
Choice B rationale
The concepts of justified and unjustified might be relevant in some contexts, but they may not provide the necessary context to understand and deliver nursing care for this patient. These
concepts are more related to the evaluation of actions or decisions, rather than understanding a patient’s experience of stress.
Choice C rationale
Good and bad are subjective terms that can vary greatly between individuals. While these concepts might be relevant in some contexts, they may not provide the necessary context to understand and deliver nursing care for this patient.
Choice D rationale
The concepts of adaptive and maladaptive are directly relevant to understanding a patient’s response to stress. Adaptive strategies are those that help an individual cope effectively with stress, while maladaptive strategies are those that do not help, or that may even exacerbate the stress.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Recommending the client obtain a part-time job may not be the most effective intervention for an adolescent experiencing depression due to a recent move. While employment can provide a sense of purpose and routine, it may also add additional stress and responsibilities that could potentially exacerbate the client’s depression.
Choice B rationale
Scheduling an appointment with a school-based counselor is the most appropriate intervention. School-based counselors are trained to provide emotional support and therapeutic interventions to students dealing with various issues, including depression. They can provide a safe space for the client to express their feelings and can help them develop coping strategies to manage their depression.
Choice C rationale
Arranging a visit with a neurologist is not the most appropriate first intervention. While neurologists can provide treatment for neurological conditions, they are not typically the first point of contact for managing depression.
Choice D rationale
Encouraging the client to engage in more physical activity can be beneficial as exercise has been shown to have a positive effect on mood. However, it may not be sufficient as the sole intervention for an adolescent experiencing depression
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