Stress
j. An experience a person is exposed to through a stimulus or stressor
Allostatic load
c. Chronic arousal that causes excessive wear and tear on the person
Appraisal
k. How people interpret the impact of the stressor on themselves
Stressors
m. Are tension-producing stimuli operating within or on any system
Fight-or-flight response
g. Arousal of the sympathetic nervous system
General adaptation syndrome
f. A three-stage reaction to stress
Crisis
n. Symptoms of stress persist beyond the duration of a stressor
Alarm reaction
o. Rising hormone levels result in increased blood volume, blood glucose levels, epinephrine and norepinephrine amounts, heart rate, blood flow to the muscles, oxygen intake, and mental alertness
Resistance stage
r. Body stabilizes and responds in the opposite manner to the alarm reaction
Exhaustion stage
p. Occurs when the body is no longer able to resist the effects of the stressor
Medulla oblongata
d. Controls heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration
Pituitary gland
q. Produces hormones necessary for adaptation to stress
Coping
s. Person's effort to manage psychological stress
Ego-defense mechanisms
i. Allow a person to cope with stress indirectly
Reticular formation
a. Monitors the physiological status of the body through connection with sensory and motor tracts
Primary appraisal
e. Identifying the event or circumstance as a threat
Posttraumatic stress disorder
h. A trauma occurs, and its effects sometimes last well after the event ends
Chronic stress
b. Occurs in stable conditions and from stressful roles
Flashbacks
l. Recurrent or intrusive recollections of the event
Developmental crisis
t. Occurs as the person moves through life's stages
Briefly describe Neuman Systems Model
The Neuman System Model views nursing as
being responsible for developing intervention to prevent or reduce stressors on the patient or to make them more bearable for the patient (focus i on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention).
The following factors can potentially be stressors. Give some examples.
Situational factors
Situational factors can arise from job changes (one's own or family) and relocation.
The following factors can potentially be stressors. Give some examples.
Maturational factors
Maturational factors vary with life stage: children (relate to physical appearance), preadolescent (self- esteem issue), adolescent (identity), and adults (major change in life circumstances).
The following factors can potentially be stressors. Give some examples.
Sociocultural factors
Sociocultural factors include poverty and physical disabilities, loss of parents and caregivers (children), violence, and homelessness.
Identify three subjective areas that are used to assess a patient's level of stress. (3)
a. Perception of the stressor
b. Maladaptive coping used
c. Adherence to healthy practices
Identify some objective findings related to stress and coping. (7)
a. Grooming and hygiene
b. Gait
c. Characteristics of the hand shake
d. Actions while sitting
e. Quality of speech
f. Eye contact
g. The attitude of the patient
Identify the defining characteristics of ineffective coping.
Ineffective coping is characterized by the
verbalization of an inability to cope and an inability
to ask for help.
Desirable outcomes for persons experiencing stress are: (4)
a. Effective coping
b. Family coping
c. Caregiver emotional health
d. Psychosocial adjustment: life change
Identify the areas about which the nurse can educate patients and their families to reduce stress. (8)
a. Regular exercise
b. Support systems
c. Time management
d. Guided imagery and visualization
e. Progressive musc1e relaxation
f. Assertiveness training
g. Journal writing
h. Stress management in the workplace
Crisis intervention is:
Crisis intervention is a specific type of brief
psychotherapy with prescribed steps; more directive
The desired outcomes for a patient recovering from acute stress are:
Reports of feeling better when the stressor is gone; improved sleep patterns and appetite; improved ability to concentrate
Which definition does not characterize stress?
I. Efforts to maintain relative constancy within the internal environment
2. A condition eliciting an intellectual, behavioral, or metabolic response
3. Any situation in which a nonspecific demand requires an
I. Stress is an experience a person is exposed to through a stimulus or stressor.
Major homeostatic mechanisms are controlled by all of the following except:
1. Thymus gland
2. Pituitary gland
3. Medulla oblongata
4. Reticular formation
1. Neurophysiological responses to stress function through negative feedback.
Which of the following is an example of the general adaptation syndrome?
1. Alarm reaction
2. Inflammatory response
3. Fight-or-flight response
4. Ego-defense mechanisms
I. Alarm reaction, resistance stage, and the exhaustion stage
Crisis intervention is a specific measure used for helping a patient resolve a particular, immediate stress problem. This approach is based on:
I. An in-depth analysis of a patient's situation
2. The ability of the nurse to solve the patient's problem
3.
3. The nurse helps the patient make the mental connection between the stressful event and the patient's reaction to it.