– Comprehensive Ivy Tech Community College Nursing
Study Guide with Practice Questions, Detailed Answer
Rationales, Chapter Summaries, and Full Exam Review
for First-Time Pass Success
Stress - Answer-Mental, emotional, or physical response and adaptation to real or perceived
challenges
Stress purpose - Answer-Necessary for regulation and homeostasis
Stress occurs when - Answer-Perceived demands exceed available resources
Stressors - Answer-Events or stimuli that cause stress; inherently neutral
Eustress - Answer-Positive stress that motivates and promotes well-being
Distress - Answer-Negative or prolonged stress that can cause illness
Fight-or-flight response - Answer-Nervous and endocrine response to a perceived stressor
Systems involved in stress response - Answer-Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, SNS, adrenal
glands
CRF - Answer-Hormone released by hypothalamus that activates stress response
ACTH - Answer-Hormone that stimulates adrenal glands to release cortisol
, Cortisol - Answer-Stress hormone that increases alertness and suppresses inflammation short-
term
Short-term cortisol effect - Answer-Helps immunity and reduces inflammation
Long-term cortisol effect - Answer-Immunosuppression, inflammation, disease risk
Fight-or-flight effects - Answer-Increased HR, BP, RR, glucose, alertness; bronchodilation; pupil
dilation
General Adaptation Syndrome - Answer-Body's three-stage response to stress
Goal of GAS - Answer-Restore homeostasis
Alarm stage - Answer-Fight-or-flight response activated
Resistance stage - Answer-Body adapts; parasympathetic nervous system works to restore
balance
Exhaustion stage - Answer-Resources depleted; illness may occur
Allostatic load - Answer-Wear and tear on the body from chronic stress
Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping - Answer-Stress is a transaction between person and
environment