A nurse is assisting a patient with OCD in developing a hierarchy of feared stimuli for exposure therapy. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate during this process?
"We will completely avoid the situations that cause anxiety.”
"You'll need to perform your compulsions while facing these situations.”
"There's no need to confront your fears; they will go away on their own.”
"You should only focus on situations that are easy to tolerate.”
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Avoiding situations that cause anxiety is counterproductive in exposure therapy, which is a common treatment for OCD. Exposure therapy involves gradual and controlled exposure to feared stimuli to reduce anxiety. Avoidance reinforces the anxiety response and prevents habituation. Facing the situations that trigger anxiety is crucial for desensitization.
Choice B rationale:
This choice is correct because exposure therapy for OCD involves facing feared situations while refraining from engaging in compulsions. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. By gradually exposing the individual to these situations and preventing them from performing compulsions, the anxiety response diminishes over time.
Choice C rationale:
Telling the patient that their fears will go away on their own is inaccurate and dismissive of the distress that OCD can cause. OCD is a chronic condition that typically requires evidence-based interventions for symptom reduction. Ignoring the fears and hoping they will disappear without intervention is not a valid therapeutic approach.
Choice D rationale:
Focusing only on situations that are easy to tolerate would not be effective in exposure therapy. The essence of exposure therapy is to confront situations that provoke anxiety gradually, starting with less anxiety-provoking situations and progressing to more challenging ones. This process helps the individual build resilience against anxiety triggers.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["B","C","E"]
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Sharing patient information without consent violates patient privacy and confidentiality. This goes against ethical and legal standards in healthcare.
Choice B rationale:
This is a correct choice. Communicating treatment progress to the healthcare team ensures everyone is informed and can provide coordinated care. Collaboration and information sharing are important for comprehensive patient management.
Choice C rationale:
Referring the patient to support groups is a collaborative action that can provide additional avenues of help and coping strategies. Support groups can offer a sense of community and understanding among individuals facing similar challenges.
Choice D rationale:
Excluding the patient from treatment decisions contradicts patient-centered care and shared decision-making principles. Collaboration involves involving the patient in their own care.
Choice E rationale:
Coordinating medication adjustments is a collaborative action as medications are often managed by healthcare professionals such as doctors or nurse practitioners. Adjustments should be made collectively to ensure the best outcome for the patient.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
The statement "I always arrange my books on the shelf from tallest to shortest" doesn't indicate an obsession. This behavior might suggest a preference for orderliness or arranging things systematically, but it lacks the distressing, unwanted nature of obsessions.
Choice B rationale:
"I feel an overwhelming urge to wash my hands every 30 minutes" indicates a compulsion rather than an obsession. The urge to wash hands frequently is driven by the need to alleviate anxiety or distress, which is the hallmark of compulsive behaviors.
Choice C rationale:
"I have a ritual of counting to 10 before entering any room" is also a compulsion. The ritual of counting serves as a way to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared outcome associated with entering a room, suggesting a compulsive behavior.
Choice D rationale:
The statement "I keep having thoughts that my family will get hurt if I don't touch the doorknob three times" reflects an obsession. The distressing thought of family harm is the unwanted obsession, and the ritual of touching the doorknob three times is the compulsion aimed at reducing the anxiety caused by the obsession.
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