A nurse in a mental health unit is admitting a female client who has anorexia nervosa.
The admission vital signs are as follows: Heart rate 52/min, Respiratory rate 26/min, Blood pressure 84/50 mm Hg, Temperature 36.1C(97F). The nurse should first address the client's:

Choice A rationale: Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by relentless drive for thinness with a fear of gaining body weight associated with self-induced behaviors towards thinness. Symptoms include extreme weight loss, thin appearance, intense fear of gaining weight, bingeing and purging, abnormal blood counts, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness or fainting, bluish discoloration of the fingers, hair that thins, breaks or falls out, soft, downy hair covering the body, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), constipation, dry or yellowish skin, intolerance of cold, irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure, dehydration, osteoporosis, swelling of arms or legs. However, the client’s symptoms do not align with those of anorexia nervosa.

Choice B rationale: Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating, followed by methods to avoid weight gain. Symptoms include binge eating, forceful vomiting, long-term fear of gaining weight, preoccupation with weight and body, a strong negative self-image, overuse of laxatives or diuretics, use of supplements or herbs for weight loss, excessive exercises, stained teeth (from stomach acid), calluses on the back of the hands, withdrawal from normal social activities. The client’s symptoms of using laxatives frequently and running for 1 hr after eating a very large meal, which happens at least 9 times a week, align with those of bulimia nervosa.

Choice C rationale: Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is a mental health condition characterized by unstable emotions, a distorted self-image and a desire to be noticed. Symptoms include persistent attention seeking, dramatic behavior, rapidly shifting and shallow emotions, sexually provocative behavior, undetailed style of speech, and a tendency to consider relationships more intimate than they actually are. The client’s symptoms of feelings of anxiety and depression, starting smoking marijuana as that is what their “new friends do all the time”, and being recently arrested for stealing make-up from a local department store and acknowledging that this “is the first time I was caught” align with those of HPD.

Choice A rationale: Dissociation is a defense mechanism where a person disconnects from reality, memory, identity, or perception. It is often a response to trauma and can result in a detachment from emotional and physical experiences. The client’s behavior does not indicate a disconnection from reality or self.

Choice B rationale: Regression is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to an earlier stage of development in response to stress or anxiety. In this case, the client’s behavior of wanting someone to take care of them can be seen as a regression to a childlike state of dependency, which is a common response to overwhelming stress or anxiety.

Choice C rationale: Introjection is a defense mechanism where a person internalizes the ideas or voices of other people- often authority figures. This is not evident in the client’s behavior.

Choice D rationale: Repression is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously blocks out distressing thoughts or feelings. In this scenario, the client is expressing their feelings of stress rather than repressing them.