A nurse prepares an IM injection of haloperidol for a patient experiencing acute psychosis. What assessment should be prioritized before administration?

Choice A reason: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is the gold standard for treating acute stress disorder. It helps patients identify and restructure maladaptive thought patterns related to the trauma and employs coping strategies to manage autonomic arousal, potentially preventing the progression to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.

Choice B reason: While exposure therapy is a component of CBT often used for chronic PTSD, it must be applied very carefully in the acute phase of stress. Immediate, intensive exposure can sometimes re-traumatize a patient who has not yet developed the foundational stabilization skills taught in broader CBT models.

Choice C reason: Medication alone, such as benzodiazepines or SSRIs, may manage acute symptoms like insomnia or severe anxiety but does not address the underlying cognitive processing of the traumatic event. Evidence suggests that pharmacological intervention is most effective when used as an adjunct to psychotherapeutic modalities.

Choice D reason: Long-term psychoanalysis focuses on unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences over several years. This approach is not appropriate for the acute, time-limited nature of acute stress disorder, which requires immediate, symptom-focused, and practical interventions to restore the patient's level of functioning.

Choice A reason: Meditation is a primary mind-body intervention that requires the patient to actively engage in mental exercises to focus attention or reach a state of relaxation. By practicing mindfulness or focused breathing, the patient directly participates in down-regulating their sympathetic nervous system response and reducing cognitive anxiety.

Choice B reason: Chiropractic adjustments are considered a manipulative and body-based practice where the practitioner performs the intervention on the patient. The patient remains a passive recipient of the spinal manipulation, which does not meet the criteria for an intervention requiring the patient's active mental or cognitive participation.

Choice C reason: The use of probiotics is a biological-based therapy involving the ingestion of beneficial bacteria to influence the gut-brain axis. While the patient must choose to take the supplement, it is a biochemical intervention rather than a mind-body technique that utilizes active mental focusing or behavioral modification.

Choice D reason: Ayurveda is a comprehensive traditional healing system from India that includes diet, herbal remedies, and lifestyle changes. While it involves patient adherence to a regimen, it is classified as a whole medical system rather than a specific mind-body intervention focused on active psychological participation for anxiety management.