CH 26 - Crisis & Disaster
A patient comes to the crisis clinic after an unexpected job termination. The
patient paces around the room sobbing, cringes when approached, and
responds to questions with only shrugs or monosyllables. Choose the nurse's
best initial comment to this patient.
a. "Everything is going to be all right. You are here at the clinic, and the staff
will keep you safe."
b. "I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help you
feel better."
c. "You need to try to stop crying and pacing so we can talk about your
problems."
d. "Let's set some guidelines and goals for your visit here." - correct answer
✔b. "I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help
you feel better."
A crisis exists for this patient. The two primary thrusts of crisis intervention are
to provide for the safety of the individual and use anxiety-reduction techniques
to facilitate use of inner resources. The nurse offers therapeutic presence,
which provides caring, ongoing observation relative to the patient's safety, and
interpersonal reassurance.
A patient being seen in the clinic for superficial cuts on both wrists is pacing
and sobbing. After a few minutes, the patient is calmer. The nurse attempts to
determine the patient's perception of the precipitating event by asking:
a. "Tell me why you were crying."
b. "How did your wrists get injured?"
c. "How can I help you feel more comfortable?"
d. "What was happening just before you started to feel this way?" - correct
answer ✔d. "What was happening just before you started to feel this way?"
, A clear definition of the immediate problem provides the best opportunity to
find a solution. Asking about recent upsetting events permits assessment of
the precipitating event. "Why" questions are non-therapeutic.
A patient comes to the crisis center saying, "I'm in a terrible situation. I don't
know what to do." The triage nurse can initially assume that the patient is:
a. suicidal.
b. anxious and fearful.
c. misperceiving reality.
d. potentially homicidal. - correct answer ✔b. anxious and fearful.
Individuals in crisis are universally anxious. They are often frightened and may
be mildly confused. Perceptions are often narrowed with anxiety.
An adolescent comes to the crisis clinic and reports sexual abuse by an uncle.
The adolescent told both parents about the uncle's behavior, but the parents
did not believe the adolescent. What type of crisis exists?
a. Maturational
b. Adventitious
c. Situational
d. Organic - correct answer ✔b. Adventitious
An adventitious crisis is a crisis of disaster that is not a part of everyday life. It
is unplanned or accidental. Adventitious crises include natural disasters,
national disasters, and crimes of violence. Sexual molestation falls within this
classification. Maturational crisis occurs as an individual arrives at a new
stage of development, when old coping styles may be ineffective. Situational
crisis arises from an external source such as a job loss, divorce, or other loss
affecting self-concept or self-esteem. "Organic" is not a type of crisis..
A patient comes to the crisis clinic after an unexpected job termination. The
patient paces around the room sobbing, cringes when approached, and
responds to questions with only shrugs or monosyllables. Choose the nurse's
best initial comment to this patient.
a. "Everything is going to be all right. You are here at the clinic, and the staff
will keep you safe."
b. "I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help you
feel better."
c. "You need to try to stop crying and pacing so we can talk about your
problems."
d. "Let's set some guidelines and goals for your visit here." - correct answer
✔b. "I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help
you feel better."
A crisis exists for this patient. The two primary thrusts of crisis intervention are
to provide for the safety of the individual and use anxiety-reduction techniques
to facilitate use of inner resources. The nurse offers therapeutic presence,
which provides caring, ongoing observation relative to the patient's safety, and
interpersonal reassurance.
A patient being seen in the clinic for superficial cuts on both wrists is pacing
and sobbing. After a few minutes, the patient is calmer. The nurse attempts to
determine the patient's perception of the precipitating event by asking:
a. "Tell me why you were crying."
b. "How did your wrists get injured?"
c. "How can I help you feel more comfortable?"
d. "What was happening just before you started to feel this way?" - correct
answer ✔d. "What was happening just before you started to feel this way?"
, A clear definition of the immediate problem provides the best opportunity to
find a solution. Asking about recent upsetting events permits assessment of
the precipitating event. "Why" questions are non-therapeutic.
A patient comes to the crisis center saying, "I'm in a terrible situation. I don't
know what to do." The triage nurse can initially assume that the patient is:
a. suicidal.
b. anxious and fearful.
c. misperceiving reality.
d. potentially homicidal. - correct answer ✔b. anxious and fearful.
Individuals in crisis are universally anxious. They are often frightened and may
be mildly confused. Perceptions are often narrowed with anxiety.
An adolescent comes to the crisis clinic and reports sexual abuse by an uncle.
The adolescent told both parents about the uncle's behavior, but the parents
did not believe the adolescent. What type of crisis exists?
a. Maturational
b. Adventitious
c. Situational
d. Organic - correct answer ✔b. Adventitious
An adventitious crisis is a crisis of disaster that is not a part of everyday life. It
is unplanned or accidental. Adventitious crises include natural disasters,
national disasters, and crimes of violence. Sexual molestation falls within this
classification. Maturational crisis occurs as an individual arrives at a new
stage of development, when old coping styles may be ineffective. Situational
crisis arises from an external source such as a job loss, divorce, or other loss
affecting self-concept or self-esteem. "Organic" is not a type of crisis..
