A nurse is caring for a patient who has cancer and is receiving palliative care.
Which of the following statements by the patient indicates an understanding of this type of treatment?

Choice A rationale
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related disorder that can occur after a person experiences a traumatic event. Symptoms can include flashbacks of the traumatic event, which the patient reports experiencing.
Choice B rationale
Episodic acute stress is a type of stress that occurs in response to specific situations or events. It does not typically involve flashbacks of a traumatic event.
Choice C rationale
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. While stress can exacerbate symptoms of IBS, it is not a stress-related disorder in the sense of being a psychological response to stress.
Choice D rationale
Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a stress-related disorder that can occur in response to a traumatic event. However, ASD symptoms occur immediately after the traumatic event and typically resolve within a month. Since the patient reports experiencing flashbacks of a traumatic event that occurred a year ago, ASD is not the correct answer.

Choice A rationale
Checking the patient’s visual acuity using a Snellen chart is used to assess cranial nerve II (Optic), not cranial nerve XI (Spinal Accessory)3.
Choice B rationale
Whispering in one of the patient’s ears while blocking the other is a method used to assess cranial nerve VIII (Vestibulocochlear), not cranial nerve XI4.
Choice C rationale
Observing the patient’s ability to turn their head from side to side is a correct method to assess cranial nerve XI. This nerve innervates the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, which are responsible for turning the head and shrugging the shoulders respectively.
Choice D rationale
Asking the patient to identify specific smells is used to assess cranial nerve I (Olfactory), not cranial nerve XI3.