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 C
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Initiating vomiting and applying an enema is not the first action to take when finding an unconscious person. This could potentially cause more harm, especially if the person is unconscious as they could choke. It’s also important to note that inducing vomiting is not a recommended procedure for drug overdoses as it can lead to aspiration, which can cause more harm.
Choice B rationale: Checking pupil size and reflexes is important in assessing a patient’s neurological status. However, it is not the first action to take. The first action should always be to ensure the patient has a patent airway to allow for adequate oxygenation.
Choice C rationale: Establishing a patent airway is the correct first action when finding an unconscious person. This is because maintaining a patent airway is crucial for oxygenation and ventilation. Without a patent airway, the person could suffer from hypoxia, which could lead to brain damage or death.
Choice D rationale: Administering IV fluids fast is not the first action to take when finding an unconscious person. While IV fluids may be necessary later on in the management of the patient, the first action should always be to ensure the patient has a patent airway.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
While the client's statement might seem like other defense mechanisms, here's why Denial is the most fitting choice: Denial:
Involves refusing to acknowledge a painful or threatening reality.
The client attributes their cough, a potential symptom of lung cancer, to a common cold, dismissing the possibility of their condition worsening.
This allows them to avoid the emotional distress associated with facing their illness. Other options and their rationales:
Reaction formation (Choice A): This involves expressing the opposite of what one truly feels or desires. The client doesn't show any outward signs of expressing emotions opposite to their actual feelings about their health.
Suppression (Choice C): This involves consciously pushing unpleasant thoughts or feelings out of awareness. While the client might downplay the cough, they haven't completely pushed the thought of their illness away.
Regression (Choice D): This involves reverting to an earlier stage of development in response to stress. There's no indication of the client displaying behaviors characteristic of an earlier developmental stage.
Addressing other potential mechanisms:
Displacement: Redirecting emotions towards a less threatening target is not evident in the scenario.
Rationalization: Justifying behavior in a way that avoids facing the true reasons is not seen in the client's explanation. Projection: Attributing one's own feelings or desires to others is not present in the client's statement.
Remember:
Denial is a common coping mechanism for dealing with difficult realities like illness.
It's crucial for the nurse to assess the extent of the client's denial and offer support without judgment.
The goal is to help the client acknowledge their illness while providing emotional support and resources for managing their condition.
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