A nurse is planning care for a client with PTSD. Which intervention is appropriate for addressing avoidance symptoms?
Encouraging the client to engage in relaxation techniques.
Providing the client with information about local support groups.
Teaching the client cognitive-behavioral techniques.
Administering prescribed medications to manage anxiety.
The Correct Answer is B
Providing the client with information about local support groups.
Choice A rationale:
Encouraging relaxation techniques targets symptom management but doesn't directly address avoidance symptoms.
Choice C rationale:
Cognitive-behavioral techniques are helpful for various PTSD symptoms, but they primarily focus on modifying thought patterns and behaviors.
Choice D rationale:
Medications can alleviate symptoms like anxiety but don't specifically tackle avoidance symptoms. In contrast, Choice B is the most suitable intervention for addressing avoidance symptoms. Individuals with PTSD often avoid situations, places, or people that trigger memories of the trauma. Connecting them with local support groups can provide a safe environment to discuss their experiences, gradually reducing avoidance behavior. Peer support can offer validation, normalization, and sharing of coping strategies, which can ultimately aid in diminishing avoidance symptoms.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Taking a vacation (Choice A) might be enjoyable or stressful depending on the circumstances, but it is not generally considered a traumatic event as it does not involve a threat to one's physical or psychological well-being.
Choice B rationale:
Changing jobs (Choice B) is a significant life event, but it is not inherently a traumatic event. It can be a positive or negative experience, depending on the individual's perspective.
Choice C rationale:
Experiencing a natural disaster (Choice C) is a traumatic event according to the text. Natural disasters can result in life-threatening situations, loss of property, and psychological distress, potentially leading to long-lasting effects on mental health.
Choice D rationale:
Celebrating a birthday (Choice D) is a joyful occasion and is not considered a traumatic event. It typically brings positive emotions and does not involve exposure to harm or danger.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
"I keep having nightmares about the accident."
Choice A rationale:
Feeling detached from others is a characteristic of the numbing/avoidance cluster of PTSD symptoms, not intrusion symptoms.
Choice C rationale:
Involuntary, distressing thoughts about the traumatic event are indicative of intrusion symptoms, which are encapsulated by Choice B.
Choice D rationale:
Feeling irritable and on edge falls under the hyperarousal symptom category. Choice B, the correct choice, relates to nightmares about the traumatic incident, a classic intrusion symptom. These nightmares can re-traumatize the individual, making sleep challenging and contributing to the overall distress associated with PTSD.
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