Patient Data
The nurse engages the client in conversation about her feelings and some of her coping mechanisms.
Click to specify which client statement or behavior is most likely associated with each of the listed defense mechanisms. Some statements or behaviors may be consistent with more than one mechanism. Each column must have at least one but may have more than one answer selected.
The client discusses moving to Hawaii instead of returning to rebuild her house.
The client seems unemotional when talking about needing to rebuild her house.
The client states that she sometimes forgets why she is in the hospital.
The client is frightened that the hospital will burn down.
The Correct Answer is {"A":{"answers":"B"},"B":{"answers":"C"},"C":{"answers":"A"},"D":{"answers":"D"}}
A. The client discusses moving to Hawaii instead of returning to rebuild her house.
Defense Mechanism: Fantasy
- Explanation: The client may be using fantasy as a way to escape from the painful reality of her situation. Discussing moving to a place like Hawaii, which may represent an idealized and stress-free environment, suggests a desire to avoid confronting the challenges and emotions associated with her current circumstances.
B. The client seems unemotional when talking about needing to rebuild her house.
Defense Mechanism: Isolation
- Explanation: Isolation, or emotional isolation, occurs when an individual separates emotions from the events or thoughts associated with them. The client's lack of emotional response when discussing rebuilding her house suggests that she may be isolating her feelings to avoid distress.
C. The client states that she sometimes forgets why she is in the hospital.
Defense Mechanism: Suppression
- Explanation: Suppression involves the conscious effort to avoid thinking about distressing thoughts or memories. The client's statement that she sometimes forgets why she is in the hospital may indicate an attempt to suppress or avoid focusing on the traumatic event that led to her hospitalization.
D. The client is frightened that the hospital will burn down.
Defense Mechanism: Denial
- Explanation: Denial involves refusing to accept the reality of a situation, which can manifest as irrational fears or beliefs. The client's fear that the hospital will burn down may reflect a form of denial, as she might be projecting her fear of the collapse (a traumatic event) onto another catastrophic event, thereby avoiding dealing with her actual trauma.
Summary of Answers:
- A. Fantasy - The client discusses moving to Hawaii instead of returning to rebuild her house.
- B. Isolation - The client seems unemotional when talking about needing to rebuild her house.
- C. Suppression - The client states that she sometimes forgets why she is in the hospital.
- D. Denial - The client is frightened that the hospital will burn down.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. "Ask the client why she checks the locks."
Asking "why" questions may put the client on the defensive and does not effectively address the compulsive behavior. Clients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often do not have a logical explanation for their compulsions.
B. "Determine the type and size of the locks."
This action does not address the client’s compulsive behavior and is not relevant to the nursing intervention. The focus should be on reducing the compulsive behavior rather than assessing the locks themselves.
C. "Discuss checking the time frequently."
This response does not directly address the client’s compulsive checking behavior. Instead, structured interventions that promote time management and coping strategies should be implemented.
D. "Plan a list of activities to be carried out daily."
Providing a structured daily schedule can help redirect the client’s focus away from compulsive behaviors and toward productive activities. A schedule can reduce anxiety and limit the time available for compulsions, promoting better functioning.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Teaching the client to develop a plan for daily structured activities is a key intervention for addressing major depressive disorder with symptoms like psychomotor retardation, hypersomnia, and motivation. Structured activities can help the client regain a sense of purpose, improve motivation, and gradually return to a normal level of functioning.
Choice B rationale:
Encouraging exercise is generally beneficial for mental health, but it may not be the most effective intervention for addressing the specific symptoms mentioned in this scenario.
Choice C rationale:
Suggesting the client develop a list of pleasurable activities is a valuable intervention but may not directly address the psychomotor retardation and hypersomnia seen in this case.
Choice D rationale:
Providing education on methods to enhance sleep is important, especially if hypersomnia is a symptom, but it should be part of a broader treatment plan that also includes addressing psychomotor retardation and motivation.
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