A nurse is planning care for a client who has dependent personality disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
Set limits to prevent exploitation of other clients.
Monitor the client closely to prevent self-mutilation.
Give positive feedback when the client is assertive with staff or clients.
Discourage flamboyant or seductive behaviors.
The Correct Answer is C
The correct answer/s is:
C. Give positive feedback when the client is assertive with staff or clients.
Rationale for Choice A:
While setting limits is an important aspect of nursing care, it's not specifically targeted towards the core challenges of dependent personality disorder. The primary concern in this case is the client's excessive reliance on others and inability to function independently. Setting limits might be perceived as a rejection or abandonment, potentially exacerbating the client's distress and anxiety. Additionally, focusing on preventing the exploitation of other clients shifts the attention away from the client's individual needs and goals.
Rationale for Choice B:
While self-mutilation is a potential risk in some individuals with dependent personality disorder, it's not a defining characteristic or the most prevalent concern. Continuous close monitoring can be intrusive and undermine the client's sense of autonomy. It's more effective to build trust and establish open communication where the client feels comfortable expressing distress and seeking help before resorting to self-harm.
Rationale for Choice C:
Assertiveness is a key skill to cultivate in individuals with dependent personality disorder. It empowers them to express their needs and desires appropriately, reducing their reliance on others and fostering healthy relationships. Offering positive reinforcement when the client exhibits assertive behavior, even in small steps, strengthens this skill and motivates them to continue their progress. This positive reinforcement approach aligns with therapeutic interventions for dependent personality disorder, which focus on building self-confidence and fostering independent functioning.
Rationale for Choice D:
Discouraging flamboyant or seductive behaviors might seem relevant because some individuals with dependent personality disorder might resort to attention-seeking tactics. However, such an approach risks shaming or judging the client, potentially increasing their feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. It's important to understand the underlying reason behind these behaviors, which could be a desperate attempt to gain approval or validation. Addressing the core issue of low self-esteem and encouraging authentic self-expression are more productive strategies than simply suppressing certain behaviors.
Additional Notes:
In addition to the rationales for each choice, it's important to consider the overall treatment goals for dependent personality disorder. These goals typically include:
Reduced dependence on others: Encouraging the client to take responsibility for their own needs and decisions. Improved assertiveness skills: Enabling the client to express their wishes and opinions confidently.
Enhanced self-esteem: Building the client's confidence and sense of self-worth.
Developing healthy relationships: Fostering interactions based on mutual respect and independence.
When planning care for a client with dependent personality disorder, the nurse should collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as therapists and social workers, to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Anxiety reduction is the core motivation for ritualistic behaviors in OCD. Individuals with OCD experience intrusive, distressing thoughts (obsessions) that trigger intense anxiety. To neutralize this anxiety, they engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that provide temporary relief.
The relief is often short-lived, leading to a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. This cycle can become debilitating and significantly impair daily functioning.
Research supports the anxiety-reduction model of OCD. Studies have shown that engaging in compulsions reduces anxiety in individuals with OCD, both subjectively and physiologically.
Neuroimaging studies have also demonstrated that ritualistic behaviors activate brain regions involved in anxiety and fear processing. This suggests that compulsions have a direct effect on the brain's anxiety circuitry.
Choice B rationale:
Sexual satisfaction is not a typical motivation for ritualistic behaviors in OCD. While some compulsions may have a sexual component (e.g., checking for arousal), the primary goal is to reduce anxiety, not to achieve sexual gratification.
Choice C rationale:
Feelings of shame may be associated with OCD, but they are not the primary driving force behind ritualistic behaviors. Shame often arises from the content of obsessions (e.g., thoughts about contamination, harm, or taboo subjects) or the perceived social stigma of OCD. However, the urge to perform compulsions stems from the need to alleviate anxiety, not to decrease shame.
Choice D rationale:
Boosting self-esteem is not a common motivation for ritualistic behaviors in OCD. In fact, many individuals with OCD experience low self-esteem due to the impact of the disorder on their lives. Compulsions may provide a temporary sense of control or mastery, but they do not typically lead to lasting improvements in self-esteem.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale: The nurse should ask the client to agree to talk to a nurse whenever she feels the urge to exercise. This is because the client with anorexia nervosa who overexercises is using exercise as a means to control her weight and shape, which is a characteristic of this disorder. By asking the client to talk to a nurse when she feels the urge to exercise, the nurse is providing a safe and supportive environment for the client to express her feelings and fears related to her body image and weight. This intervention also helps the client to develop healthier coping mechanisms and reduces the risk of physical harm due to excessive exercise.
Choice B rationale: Praise the client for looking at herself in a mirror may not be the most effective nursing action. While it’s important to encourage positive body image, simply praising the client for looking at herself in a mirror may not address the underlying issues related to her body dissatisfaction and fear of weight gain. It’s crucial to understand that anorexia nervosa is not just about body image, but also about control, perfectionism, and fear of maturity. Therefore, interventions should be comprehensive and target all aspects of the disorder.
Choice C rationale: Restricting the client from being weighed may not be beneficial. While it’s true that clients with anorexia nervosa can become obsessed with their weight, weighing is a necessary part of monitoring their health status. Instead of restricting the client from being weighed, the nurse should provide education about the importance of regular weight checks and involve the client in the process. This can help to reduce anxiety and promote a sense of control.
Choice D rationale: Reprimanding the client about the potential damage that has occurred due to overexercising her body is not therapeutic. It’s important to remember that clients with anorexia nervosa are often in denial about the seriousness of their condition. Therefore, reprimanding or confronting the client may lead to resistance and defensiveness. Instead, the nurse should use a supportive and understanding approach, providing education about the risks of excessive exercise and the benefits of a balanced lifestyle.
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