A school nurse is assisting in the planning a presentation on identifying potential warning signs of suicide for high school students. Which of the following examples of behaviors should the nurse include in the presentation?

A. "Provide reassurance and comfort ensuring the client is safe." Clients with schizophrenia experiencing confusion and thought distortions require reassurance and safety measures first. Confusion can increase the risk of self-harm or agitation, making safety a priority. Comforting the client and providing a structured environment can help reduce anxiety. Ensuring a calm and safe setting supports symptom management and overall well-being.
B. "Ensure the client goes to group activities as planned." While group activities can promote socialization, a client experiencing confusion and thought distortions may struggle to participate. Forcing group engagement without addressing immediate needs can increase distress. Individualized interventions should be prioritized before encouraging group involvement. Ensuring safety and reducing anxiety are more immediate concerns.
C. "Give PRN medications to treat increased hallucinations." PRN medications may help manage symptoms but are not the first priority. Assessing and ensuring safety takes precedence before administering medications. The nurse should first provide reassurance and evaluate the severity of symptoms. Medication is important, but nonpharmacological interventions should be attempted first when possible. Ensuring safety remains the immediate concern in managing schizophrenia-related confusion.
D. "Use distraction such as the television or music." While distraction techniques can be beneficial, they do not directly address confusion or distorted thinking. The client may require more structured interventions to reorient them and provide reassurance. Music or television might help in stable periods but may not be effective in acute distress. Ensuring the client’s safety and reducing distress are higher priorities in immediate care.

A. Voice tremors are associated with moderate anxiety, where the individual begins to exhibit physical signs of distress but still retains some level of focus. At panic-level anxiety, communication becomes severely impaired, often resulting in unintelligible speech or complete loss of verbal ability.
B. Depersonalization, a dissociative symptom in which individuals feel detached from their own body or reality, is a hallmark of panic-level anxiety. During this state, individuals may experience a sense of unreality, feel as though they are outside their body, or believe that their surroundings are distorted, contributing to a profound sense of fear and disorientation.
C. Shakiness is a physiological response observed in moderate to severe anxiety due to increased autonomic arousal. However, at panic-level anxiety, the body is in a state of extreme crisis, often leading to more severe symptoms such as hyperventilation, loss of motor control, and derealization rather than mere shakiness.
D. Poor concentration is characteristic of moderate to severe anxiety, where cognitive function begins to decline due to excessive worry. However, in panic-level anxiety, cognitive function is severely impaired, and the individual may be unable to process information coherently, often leading to complete disorganization of thought.