ATI LPN
Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition
Chapter 25 : Anxiety Disorders: Management of Anxiety, Phobia, and Panic Questions
Question 1 of 5
A client comes to the emergency department because he thinks he is having a heart attack. Further assessment determines that the client is not having a heart attack but is having a panic attack. When beginning to interview the client, which question would be most appropriate for the nurse to use?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Asking about the client?s experiences before and during the attack (
B) gathers critical information about triggers and symptoms, aiding in confirming the panic attack diagnosis and planning care. Asking about feeling better (
A) is premature, driving ability (
C) is irrelevant during acute assessment, and causes (
D) are less urgent than symptom details.
Question 2 of 5
A client with a panic disorder has been prescribed a benzodiazepine medication. Which of the following would the nurse emphasize as a risk associated with using this medication?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Benzodiazepines (
B) carry a significant risk of withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety and seizures, if stopped abruptly, necessitating careful tapering. Dietary restrictions (
A) apply to MAOIs, agitation (
C) is a symptom not a risk, and fecal impaction (
D) is unrelated.
Question 3 of 5
A female client is diagnosed with panic disorder. The client tells the nurse that she hasn?t left her house in more than a month because she was afraid of another attack. She visited the mental health clinic today only because her son brought her. Which nursing diagnosis would be a priority for this client?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Social Isolation (
D) is the priority, as the client?s fear of panic attacks has led to avoiding leaving home, significantly impacting social functioning. Powerlessness (
A) and decisional conflict (
B) are relevant but less immediate, and ineffective family coping (
C) is not supported by the scenario.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse has instructed a client with panic disorder about how to use the technique of positive self-talk. The nurse determines that the client has understood the instructions when the client verbalizes which statement to use during an impending panic attack?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Positive self-talk (
B) involves reassuring statements that empower the client to manage anxiety, such as affirming control and the transient nature of the attack. Stating nervousness (
A) reinforces anxiety, medication reliance (
C) is not self-talk, and muscle relaxation (
D) is a different technique.
Question 5 of 5
A client who has been diagnosed with panic disorder visits the clinic and experiences a panic attack. The client tells the nurse, I?m so nervous. My hands are shaking, and I?m sweating. I feel as if I?m having a stroke right now. Which of the following would the nurse do first?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Staying with the client while remaining calm (
A) is the first priority during a panic attack to provide reassurance and safety, reducing fear. Moving to a safe environment (
B) is secondary, reassuring about duration (
C) is less immediate, and teaching breathing (
D) requires the client to be calmer first.