Psychiatric Assessment and Fundamentals Q 17
To establish an open and trusting relationship with a female client who has been hospitalized with severe anxiety, the nurse in charge should?
A. Encourage the staff to have frequent interaction with the client.
B. Share an activity with the client.
C. Give client feedback on behavior.
D. Respect client’s need for personal space.
Correct Answer: D. Respect client’s need for personal space
Moving to a client’s personal space increases the feeling of threat, which increases anxiety. Lessen sensory stimuli by keeping a quiet and peaceful environment; keep “threatening” equipment out of sight. Anxiety may intensify to a panic state with excessive conversation, noise, and equipment around the patient. increasing anxiety may become frightening to the patient and others.
Option A: Interact with the patient in a peaceful manner. The nurse or health care provider can transmit his or her own anxiety to the hypersensitive patient. The patient’s feeling of stability increases in a calm and non-threatening environment. Help the patient determine precipitants of anxiety that may indicate interventions. Obtaining insight allows the patient to reevaluate the threat or identify new ways to deal with it.
Option B: Allow the patient to talk about anxious feelings and examine anxiety-provoking situations if they are identifiable. Talking about anxiety-producing situations and anxious feelings can help the patient perceive the situation realistically and recognize factors leading to the anxious feelings.
Option C: If the situational response is rational, use empathy to encourage the patient to interpret the anxiety symptoms as normal. Anxiety is a normal response to actual or perceived danger. Avoid unnecessary reassurance; this may increase undue worry. Reassurance is not helpful for the anxious individual.