A client with a phobia is experiencing physiological symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath. These symptoms are most likely due to:

Choice A rationale:

Specific Phobia is characterized by the active avoidance of certain situations or objects accompanied by intense fear or anxiety. Individuals with specific phobias tend to go to great lengths to avoid the feared stimulus due to the overwhelming distress it causes. This aligns with the behavior described in the question.

Choice B rationale:

Social Phobia involves the fear or avoidance of social situations due to the perceived threat of negative evaluation by others. It doesn't necessarily involve specific situations or objects like the client's behavior in the question.

Choice C rationale:

Agoraphobia involves the fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available in the event of developing incapacitating symptoms. This doesn't fully match the behavior described, as the client is not expressing fear related to difficulty escaping or lack of available help.

Choice D rationale:

Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks and the persistent worry about future attacks. While panic attacks can be triggered by specific phobias, the avoidance behavior and the focus on certain situations are more indicative of a specific phobia rather than Panic Disorder.

Choice C rationale:

Collaborating with the client to set realistic and achievable goals for overcoming phobias (Choice C) is an example of a nursing intervention for phobias. This empowers the client to actively participate in their treatment, fostering a sense of control and motivation to confront their fears.

Choice A rationale:

Providing a safe and supportive environment for the client (Choice A) is important, but it is a more general intervention that doesn't specifically address the process of overcoming phobias.

Choice B rationale:

Encouraging the client to avoid situations that trigger phobic responses (Choice B) is counterproductive, as mentioned earlier. It reinforces avoidance behaviors rather than helping the client confront their fears.

Choice D rationale:

Referring the client to other health care professionals as needed (Choice D) is a potential step in the treatment process, but it doesn't exemplify a direct nursing intervention for phobias. It's more about coordinating care if specialized help is required.