A client diagnosed with an anxiety disorder arrives at a busy local mental health clinic. Due to the significant number of individuals moving throughout the clinic, the client unexpectedly suffers an acute anxiety attack. Which nursing interventions would be the most appropriate for the clinic nurse to initiate initially?
A client diagnosed with an anxiety disorder arrives at a busy local mental health clinic. Due to the significant number of individuals moving throughout the clinic, the client unexpectedly suffers an acute anxiety attack. Which nursing interventions would be the most appropriate for the clinic nurse to initiate initially?
A. Administer one tablet of alprazolam to the client immediately
[6%]
B. Talk to the client to explore their feelings
[17%]
C. Accompany the client to a vacant room to let the client rest
[62%]
D. Take the client's vital signs
[15%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Mental Health
Lesson
Mental Health
Client Need
Test Plan
Psychosocial Integrity
Related Topic
Crisis Intervention
Item Type
Item Type
Application
Explanation
Choice C is correct. The most appropriate initial intervention is for the nurse to remove the client from the stressful situation and provide the client with a calm, quiet place to rest. This intervention will help decrease the anxiety level of the client.
Choice A is incorrect. Administering one tablet of alprazolam to the client is an inappropriate intervention for numerous reasons. First, this is not an independent nursing intervention, as the nurse would need to obtain an order for the medication from a health care provider (HCP) before administering this medication. Second, administering this or any other medication to the client does not remove the stressor. Third, alprazolam, a benzodiazepine, is administered orally and will require a minimum of thirty minutes prior to taking effect.
Choice B is incorrect. In the immediate aftermath of the client's acute anxiety attack, the client may be unable to discuss their feelings, as the client is likely still anxious and unable to collect themself. Therefore, this is not the most appropriate initial action for the nurse.
Choice D is incorrect. The nurse should not assess the client's vital signs until after the client has been removed from the stressful situation and provided adequate time to relax. Assessing the client's vital signs during or shortly after the client's acute anxiety attack will result in inaccurate vital sign readings.
Learning Objective
After a client suffers an acute anxiety attack at a busy local mental health clinic, recognize that the most appropriate initial nursing intervention by the clinic nurse would be to accompany the client to a vacant room to let the client rest in a calm, quiet environment.
Related Videos
2 Key Topics
Anxiety
32.2 Psychological Concepts & Safety
Additional Info
- Anxiety disorders are more common than any other class of psychiatric disorder.
- Treatments vary for the different anxiety disorders, but typically involve a combination of psychotherapy specific for the disorder and drug treatment.
- The most common drug classes used in the treatment of anxiety disorders are benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
