Chapter 6: Individual and Family Homeostasis, Stress, and Adaptation - Nurselytic

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: If the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary response is prolonged or excessive, a state of chronic arousal develops that may lead to high (not low) blood pressure, arteriosclerotic changes, and cardiovascular disease. If the production of ACTH is prolonged or excessive, behavior patterns of withdrawal and depression are seen. In addition, the immune response is decreased, and infections and tumors may develop.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Coping processes that include the use of alcohol or drugs to reduce stress increase the risk of illness. The use of drugs and alcohol as a means to reduce stress are not effective coping behaviors. They are maladaptive behaviors, even though they have a short-term effect on stress.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The nurse has a significant role and responsibility in identifying the health patterns of the patient receiving care. If those patterns are not achieving physiologic, psychological, and social balance, the nurse is obligated, with the assistance and agreement of the patient, to seek ways to promote balance. The nurse is not obligated to refer to social work, identify alternative forms of care, or provide insight into the physiologic failings of the system if the patients health patterns are not achieving their goals.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Adaptive ways of coping included seeking information, reprioritizing needs and roles, lowering expectations, making compromises, comparing oneself to others, planning activities to conserve energy, taking things one step at a time, listening to ones body, and using self-talk for encouragement. Becoming controlling or withdrawing are not ways to cope adaptively. Benzodiazepines are sometimes indicated, but these are not considered to be an adaptive coping behavior.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The single most important factor for determining health status is social class and, within a social class, the research suggests that the major factor influencing health is level of education. This factor supersedes the importance of ethnicity, gender, or interfamilial relationships.