ATI RN
Assessing Health Behavior Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient experiencing moderate anxiety says, 'I feel undone.' An appropriate response for the nurse would be:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Increased anxiety results in scattered thoughts and an inability to articulate clearly. Clarifying helps the patient identify thoughts and feelings. Asking the patient why he or she feels anxious is nontherapeutic; the patient likely does not have an answer. The patient may be unable to determine what he or she would like the nurse to do in order to help. Telling the patient to get his or her feelings under control is a directive the patient is probably unable to accomplish.
Question 2 of 5
A person who has been unable to leave home for more than a week because of severe anxiety says, 'I know it does not make sense, but I just can't bring myself to leave my apartment alone.' Which nursing intervention is appropriate?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 3 of 5
After the sudden death of his wife, a man says, "I can't live without her "¦ she was my whole life." Select the nurse's most therapeutic reply.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 4 of 5
The gas pedal on a person's car became stuck on a busy interstate highway, causing the car to accelerate rapidly. For 20 minutes, the car was very difficult to control. In the months after this experience, afterward, which assessment finding would the nurse expect?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The scenario depicts a frightening, traumatic, and stressful situation. Severe dissociation or "mind flight" may occur for those who have suffered significant trauma. The episodic failure of dissociation causes intrusive symptoms such as flashbacks. The problems identified in the distracters may or may not occur.
Question 5 of 5
Relaxation techniques help patients who have experienced major traumas because they
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In response to trauma, the sympathetic arousal symptoms of rapid heart rate and rapid respiration prepare the person for flight or fight responses. Afterward, the dorsal vagal response damps down the sympathetic nervous system. This is a parasympathetic response with the heart rate and respiration slowing down and decreasing the blood pressure. Relaxation techniques promote activity of the parasympathetic nervous system.