A nursing student says, “Little of what takes place on the behavioral health unit seems to be theory-based.” A nurse educates the student by identifying which is a common use of Sullivan’s theory on the inpatient psychiatric unit?
Structure of the therapeutic milieu of most behavioral health units
Assessment tools based on age-appropriate versus arrested behaviors
Frequent use of restraint and seclusion for behavior modification
Use of the nursing process to determine the best sequence for nursing actions
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: Sullivan’s interpersonal theory emphasizes therapeutic relationships and social environments to foster mental health. The therapeutic milieu, structured to promote safety and interaction, aligns with Sullivan’s focus on interpersonal dynamics, reducing symptoms like anxiety through supportive settings, which stabilize neurotransmitter imbalances, enhancing patient recovery on psychiatric units.
Choice B reason: Sullivan’s theory does not focus on age-appropriate versus arrested behaviors. It emphasizes interpersonal relationships, not developmental stages. Assessment tools for behavior typically rely on other frameworks, like Erikson’s, which address developmental milestones, not Sullivan’s interpersonal model, making this option scientifically inaccurate for the theory’s application.
Choice C reason: Restraint and seclusion are not part of Sullivan’s theory, which promotes therapeutic relationships to reduce anxiety, not coercive measures. These interventions contradict Sullivan’s focus on supportive environments, as they may exacerbate stress and neurotransmitter dysregulation, such as increased cortisol, worsening mental health outcomes in psychiatric settings.
Choice D reason: The nursing process is a general framework, not specific to Sullivan’s theory. Sullivan’s interpersonal model focuses on relationships to alleviate symptoms, not on sequencing nursing actions. While the nursing process guides care, it is not derived from Sullivan’s principles, making this option unrelated to his theoretical application.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Labeling paranoia as a loss of reality, while accurate for dopamine-driven delusions, risks alienating the patient. Confronting beliefs directly can increase agitation, as the amygdala amplifies fear responses. A therapeutic response validates emotions, not challenges perceptions, making this less effective.
Choice B reason: Acknowledging privacy concerns validates the patient’s emotions without reinforcing delusions. This reduces anxiety, calming amygdala hyperactivity in paranoia, and builds trust. By focusing on feelings, not the delusion’s content, the nurse fosters a therapeutic alliance, aligning with evidence-based approaches for psychotic disorders.
Choice C reason: Stating government prohibition addresses the delusion’s content, potentially escalating agitation. Paranoia, driven by mesolimbic dopamine excess, resists factual correction. This risks confrontation, undermining trust and therapeutic rapport, making it less effective than validating emotions in managing psychotic symptoms.
Choice D reason: Redirecting to another topic avoids engaging with the patient’s emotional state, missing a therapeutic opportunity. Paranoia, linked to dopamine dysregulation, requires addressing underlying fears to reduce amygdala-driven anxiety. Ignoring the concern can increase mistrust, making this response less therapeutic.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Minimizing suicide as drastic dismisses the patient’s emotional pain, linked to serotonin deficits and amygdala hyperactivity in depression. This lacks empathy, risking alienation and worsening despair, as it fails to acknowledge the neurobiological severity of suicidal ideation, making it inappropriate.
Choice B reason: Acknowledging intense upset validates the patient’s emotional state, reflecting serotonin-driven despair in suicide attempts. Empathy, engaging mirror neurons, fosters trust and reduces isolation, aligning with therapeutic principles to support neurobiological stabilization and emotional recovery in psychiatric care.
Choice C reason: Offering to solve problems focuses on solutions, not empathy. Suicidal ideation, tied to prefrontal cortex dysfunction, requires emotional validation first. This statement risks dismissing feelings, reducing therapeutic connection, and is less effective than acknowledging the patient’s emotional distress.
Choice D reason: Expressing personal sadness shifts focus to the nurse’s feelings, not the patient’s. Empathy requires reflecting the patient’s emotional state, like despair from serotonin imbalances, to build rapport. This statement, while sympathetic, is less empathic, making it incorrect for demonstrating true empathy.
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