A patient is prescribed 150 mg of Sertraline once daily. The available tablet is 50 mg. How many tablets should the nurse administer?

Choice A reason: Assessing progress toward outcomes evaluates care plan efficacy, measuring behavioral and psychological changes. Scientifically, addiction involves dopamine-driven reward pathways, and progress tracking ensures interventions address these, reducing relapse risk. This prioritizes measurable recovery goals, like sobriety, ensuring effective management of substance use disorder.

Choice B reason: Client feedback provides insight but isn’t the primary measure of efficacy. Addiction’s neurobiological basis, like dopamine dysregulation, requires objective outcome assessment. Scientifically, subjective feedback may be skewed by denial or cravings, making it less reliable than measurable progress for evaluating substance use disorder treatment effectiveness.

Choice C reason: Documentation ensures care continuity but doesn’t evaluate efficacy. Scientifically, while records track interventions, they don’t measure outcomes like reduced cravings or sobriety. Focusing solely on documentation misses addiction’s neurobiological impact, limiting assessment of the care plan’s success in addressing substance use disorder recovery.

Choice D reason: Medication adherence is important but secondary to outcome assessment. Scientifically, adherence supports dopamine regulation, but evaluating progress toward sobriety or reduced cravings is critical. Focusing only on medication misses broader psychological and behavioral changes, limiting the evaluation of the care plan’s overall effectiveness in addiction recovery.

Choice A reason: A safe environment and validation reduce anxiety by calming amygdala-driven fear responses. Scientifically, this lowers cortisol, stabilizing emotional regulation post-sexual assault. Creating safety fosters trust, mitigating trauma’s neurobiological impact and supporting recovery by addressing immediate psychological distress and preventing PTSD progression.

Choice B reason: Focusing on work and hobbies may distract but doesn’t address trauma’s root. Sexual assault triggers intense stress responses, like elevated cortisol. Scientifically, distraction without processing risks suppressing emotions, potentially worsening depression or anxiety by delaying engagement with trauma’s neurobiological and psychological effects.

Choice C reason: Encouraging detailed assault discussion risks re-traumatization initially. Scientifically, premature processing can heighten amygdala activity and cortisol, exacerbating anxiety or PTSD symptoms. A safe environment is needed first to stabilize the patient, ensuring emotional readiness for trauma processing through structured therapeutic interventions.

Choice D reason: Immediate psychiatric referral for medication is premature without assessment. Scientifically, unguided medication may disrupt neurotransmitter balance, like serotonin, without addressing trauma’s specific psychological needs. This risks inappropriate treatment, delaying stabilization of trauma-related hyperarousal and hindering effective mental health recovery.