After a nurse teaches a client with generalized anxiety disorder some strategies for coping with stressors, another goal for the client would be to:
Recognize the signs associated with an elevation in mood.
Learn to obtain assistance when his anxiety is increasing.
Develop guidelines for decreasing manipulative behavior of peers.
Explore ways to facilitate participation in self-care activities.
The Correct Answer is B
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a chronic psychiatric condition marked by excessive, uncontrollable worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months. It involves both psychological distress and somatic symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, and muscle tension. Management includes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, with emphasis on early recognition of symptom escalation and implementation of coping strategies to prevent functional impairment.
Rationale for correct answers
2. Learning to obtain assistance when anxiety increases reflects insight and self-monitoring, which are essential for relapse prevention. It promotes adaptive coping and timely intervention before symptoms escalate.
Rationale for incorrect answers
1. Recognizing signs of elevated mood is relevant to bipolar disorder, not GAD. GAD is characterized by persistent worry, not mood elevation or pressured speech.
3. Decreasing manipulative peer behavior is unrelated to GAD. This goal aligns more with personality disorders or conduct-related interventions.
4. Facilitating self-care participation is more applicable to depressive disorders or severe psychosis where motivation and functioning are impaired. GAD clients typically maintain self-care but struggle with excessive worry.
Take Home Points
- GAD clients benefit from learning to recognize symptom escalation and seek support proactively.
- Elevated mood and pressured speech are features of bipolar disorder, not GAD.
- Goals should align with the client’s diagnosis and functional challenges specific to anxiety.
- Self-care deficits are not primary in GAD unless comorbid depression is present.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Generalized anxiety disorderis a chronic psychiatric condition marked by excessive, persistent worry that is difficult to control. It presents with restlessness, irritability, and fatigue, often accompanied by somatic symptoms like muscle tension, sleep disturbance, and autonomic hyperactivity. Diagnostic criteria require symptoms to persist for at least six months and cause functional impairment. Exacerbations may occur during stress or illness, and vital signs may show mild sympathetic activation without reaching pathological thresholds.
Rationale for correct answers
1. Exacerbationof generalized anxiety disorder is supported by the client’s history and current symptoms—restlessness, irritability, and exhaustion—along with mildly elevated vital signs consistent with sympathetic arousal.
Rationale for incorrect answers
2.No evidence of acute medical illness is present; symptoms align with psychiatric etiologyrather than organic pathology.
3.While physical exams are routine, the client’s known diagnosis and symptom pattern already point to a psychiatric cause, making this less immediately relevant.
4.Dosage adjustment requires longitudinal assessment and evaluation of medication adherence, side effects, and therapeutic response—not assumed from a single ED visit.
Take Home Points
- Generalized anxiety disorder presents with chronic worry, restlessness, irritability, and fatigue.
- Mild sympathetic signs like elevated pulse and BP may occur during exacerbations.
- Diagnosis is clinical, based on DSM-5 criteria and exclusion of medical causes.
- Management includes psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy; dosage changes require careful evaluation.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Objective datarefers to measurable, observable findings obtained through physical examination, diagnostic tests, or standardized tools. It is not influenced by personal feelings or interpretations. Objective data includes vital signs, lab results, and scores from validated assessment tools. These findings are reproducible and consistent across observers, making them essential for clinical decision-making.
Rationale for correct answers
1.A CIWA score is derived from a standardized assessment tool used to quantify alcohol withdrawal severity. It is measurableand reproducible, qualifying it as objective data.
Rationale for incorrect answers
2.Statements of anxiety are subjectivebecause they reflect the client’s personal experience and emotional state, which cannot be directly measured or verified by others.
3.Complaints of anorexia are subjectiveas they rely on the client’s perception of appetite loss, which may vary and cannot be quantified without further diagnostic evaluation.
4.The statement about disorganized thoughts is subjective, reflecting the client’s internal cognitive experience, which cannot be objectively validated without formal testing.
Take Home Points
- Objective data includes measurable findings like scores from validated tools and diagnostic results.
- Subjective data reflects the client’s personal experience and cannot be independently verified.
- CIWA is a validated tool used to assess alcohol withdrawal severity objectively.
- Differentiating objective from subjective data is critical for accurate nursing documentation and care planning.
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