Author Question: A client who lives with her roommate in a condominium seeks advice about episodes of strange ... (Read 38 times)

sammy · **on:** Jul 19, 2018

A client who lives with her roommate in a condominium seeks advice about episodes of strange
behavior observed by the roommate but that the client cannot remember.

The roommate has
observed her leaving the condo wearing seductive clothing, quite different from her usual wardrobe,
and returning 12 to 24 hours later, after which she sleeps for 8 to 12 hours. Episodes have also
occurred in which the client and her roommate have argued about household matters and the client
has gone to sit on the floor in the corner of the kitchen. While seated there she has spoken like a
young child. The nurse should assess that the ego defense mechanism responsible for the client's
condition is most likely
a. rationalization.
b. dissociation.
c. projection.
d. symbolization.

Question 2

A Hispanic client whose only child died of pneumonia over a year ago states that she is unable to go
about her usual home duties and community interactions because of debilitating headaches and
backaches. The psychiatrist diagnoses depression.

Her primary care nurse tells the clinical nurse
specialist I can't seem to help her. All she talks about are the headaches and the backaches.. The
clinical nurse specialist can foster the cultural competence of the nurse by saying
a. You need to be patient and let her take the lead..
b. You must take the lead and focus on the reason for her resistance..
c. In her culture, physical symptoms are idioms of distress expressing emotional
pain..
d. You might ask the client why she has chosen to grieve for her child in this
particular way..

heinisk01 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Dissociation involves the splitting off from awareness of an event or series of events, thus explaining
the client's inability to remember the episodes described by the roommate. Dissociated processes
(memories and feelings) may take on a separate existence, becoming a subpersonality.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Nurses often need to be sensitized to client use of physical symptoms as a means of expressing
psychological pain. Somatic equivalents are seen in clients of the Western culture as well.