Question 1

Which statement by a patient indicates to the nurse that more teaching about the effects of stress is needed?

Accepted Answer

Smoking is not a healthy coping strategy; it can lead to addiction and other health problems.

Question 2

When planning care for a trauma patient, which statement does the nurse understand best describes the body's response to stress?

Accepted Answer

The stress response is primarily mediated by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body to handle stress through the "fight or flight" response.

Question 3

Which manifestations is the nurse likely to assess in a patient with stimulating effects of acute stress?

Accepted Answer

Acute stress triggers the "fight or flight" response, leading to increased blood glucose levels and pupil dilation as part of the body's preparation to respond to a perceived threat.

Question 4

The patient with chronic stress is likely to exhibit which immune response?

Accepted Answer

Chronic stress is associated with immunosuppression, including suppressed delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, due to prolonged exposure to stress hormones like cortisol.

Question 5

When describing the state of homeostasis to nursing students, the nurse explains that:

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis refers to the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

Question 6

The nurse is assessing a patient who was recently divorced and is now living in a temporary shelter after losing her home in a hurricane. Which finding indicates that the patient is experiencing allostatic load?

Accepted Answer

Allostatic load refers to the cumulative wear and tear on the body's systems due to chronic stress. A state of exhaustion indicates that the patient's body is overwhelmed by stress, reflecting allostatic load.

Question 7

The nurse in the student health center is counseling a college student who reports high levels of stress before each exam, causing his heart to race and affecting his ability to concentrate. The nurse assesses that this student is in which stage of the general adaptation syndrome during an exam?

Accepted Answer

The stage of alarm is the initial reaction to a stressor, where the body exhibits the "fight or flight" response, leading to symptoms like increased heart rate and difficulty concentrating.

Question 8

Using a transactional approach to stress, the nurse recognizes that a person's response to stress depends on:

Accepted Answer

The transactional approach to stress emphasizes the individual's perception and cognitive appraisal of the stressor, meaning that how a person interprets and understands the stressful event influences their response.

Question 9

Which of the following concepts should guide a nurse's plan of care for a pregnant woman who has just lost her home due to a forest fire?

Accepted Answer

Pathologic stress responses can indeed affect the encoding and retrieval of memories, which is relevant in the context of trauma and stress management for the patient.

Question 10

While teaching a prenatal class, a participant asks about the effects of stress on the fetus. Which response should the nurse make?

Accepted Answer

High levels of stress during pregnancy have been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, as stress can affect hormonal balances and lead to complications.

Question 11

The nurse should expect to observe which behavior in a patient with posttraumatic stress disorder?

Accepted Answer

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often exhibit hypervigilance, which is a state of increased alertness and sensitivity to their environment, as they are constantly on guard for potential threats.

Question 12

Which response by a patient indicates an understanding of the effects of stress on her asthma?

Accepted Answer

Stress can lead to inflammation of the airways, which can exacerbate asthma symptoms and trigger asthma attacks.

Question 13

When reviewing the medical history of a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS), the nurse is most likely to observe which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Multiple sclerosis is associated with an elevated level of IL-12, which is involved in the differentiation of T cells that contribute to the autoimmune response in MS.

Question 14

Which concept of stress should the nurse apply when planning care for the patient with inflammatory bowel disease?

Accepted Answer

Stress can increase catecholamine production, which can affect the gastrointestinal system and potentially exacerbate conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.

Question 15

A 38-year-old woman, with no history of diabetes, has an elevated blood glucose level on the first postoperative day following an elective hysterectomy. Which response should the nurse give the patient?

Accepted Answer

Surgery can cause a temporary increase in blood glucose levels due to the body's stress response, which is normal and not necessarily indicative of diabetes.

Question 16

Which laboratory value would the nurse expect in a patient with chronic stress and a reduced cell-mediated immune response to viral infection?

Accepted Answer

Chronic stress can lead to a reduction in CD8+ T cell activity, which are crucial for cell-mediated immune responses, including responses to viral infections.

Question 17

Which information should the nurse include in a teaching plan about cortisol for a patient who is HIV-positive?

Accepted Answer

Chronically high levels of cortisol can suppress the immune system, which is particularly concerning for HIV-positive patients as it may accelerate immune decline.

Question 18

The nurse recommends the influenza vaccination to a 72-year-old woman who is the primary caregiver of her elderly mother who has Alzheimer's disease. Which instruction should the nurse include in the teaching plan for this vaccine?

Accepted Answer

Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, potentially reducing the efficacy of vaccines in older adults.

Question 19

The nurse is teaching a community class on risk factors for heart disease. Which fact should be included about the effects of stress on the heart?

Accepted Answer

Hostility and anxiety are recognized as risk factors for heart disease, as they can lead to increased stress levels, which negatively impact heart health.

Question 20

Which statement by a patient would the nurse not expect to find with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of a motor vehicle accident?

Accepted Answer

PTSD often involves emotional numbing or difficulty expressing emotions, so being emotionally expressive is not typically associated with PTSD.

Quiz 4: Stress and Adaptation