NR 326 Week 5 Stress & Coping 2026 | Mental Health Nursing Study Guide

NR326-
,./ Week,./ 5:,./ Stress,./ &,./ Coping


1. Stress, . / Response:, . / Scenario,./Example:
You're,./taking,./a,./nursing,./exam,,./feel,./unprepared,,./and,./watch,./the,./clock,./anxiously.

Pathophysiology:
Hypothalamus,./’Stress,./Hormones:,./Epinephrine,,./norepinephrine,,./cortisol

Fight,./or,./Flight,./Response,./(Acute,./Stress):
-‘Heart,./rate,./&,./respirations
-GI,./upset,./or,./nausea
-Muscle,./tension,./&,./alertness

Purpose:
Prepares,./body,./for,./quick,./emergency,./response

When,./Stress,./is,./Prolonged:
-Maladaptive,./response,./develops,./’‘Physical,./and,./psychological,./risk
-Physiologic, . / ettects:, . / Hypertension,, . / GI, . / disorders,, . / suppressed, . / immunity
-Psychological,./ettects:,./Anxiety,,./depression,,./burnout

=T i¡p : ,./Review,./stress,./response,./pathway:,./Hypothalamus,./’Pituitary,./’Adrenal.
2. Stress,./Response,./Pattern:,./Example,./Scenario:
-Life,./Situation:,./Stuck,./in,./traflc,./’late,./for,./test
-Perceived,./Stress:,./"My,./instructor,./will,./be,./angry,",./"I,./may,./miss,./my,./test."

Stress,./Pattern,./Breakdown:
1. Emotional,./Arousal:,./Paranoia,,./poor,./concentration,,./oversensitivity
2. Physiological,./Arousal:,./‘Heart,./rate,,./‘Respirations,,./sweating,,./nausea
3. Consequences:,./Poor,./performance,,./inability,./to,./finish,./exam

Nursing,./ Insight:
-Stress,./patterns,./are,./individual,./’No,./"one,./size,./fits,./all"
-Goal:,./Help,./client,./identify,./maladaptive,./patterns,./&,./build,./healthy,./coping

, NR326-
,./ Week,./ 5:,./ Stress,./ &,./ Coping




=T i¡p : ,./Focus,./on,./patient,./perception,,./not,./just,./the,./stressor.
3. Biology,./of,./Mental,./Health,./and,./Stress:,./Initial,./Brain,./Response:
-
Within,./seconds,./of,./stressor:,./Neurotransmitters,./released,./’Serotonin,./&,./Adrenaline,./Fo
llowed,./by,./stress,./hormones,./(e.g.,,./cortisol),./attecting:
-Memory,./(hippocampus)
-Emotions, . / (amygdala,, . / prefrontal, . / cortex)

Chronic,./Stress,./Ettects:
Alters,./brain,./structure,./&,./function:
-Attects,./grey,./matter,./(nerve,./cells),./&,./white,./matter,./(connections)
-
Impairs,./learning,./&,./memory,./Biochemic
al,./link,./to,./mental,./illness:
-Depression,,./anxiety,,./OCD,,./PTSD,,./personality,./&,./adjustment,./disorders

Nursing,./ Insight:
-Stress,./itself,./is,./not,./an,./illness,,./but,./chronic,./stress,./‘mental,./health,./risk
-Assess,./both,./physical,./and,./psychological,./signs

=Ti¡p:
S,./=,./Stress,./=,./Serotonin,./&,./Sympathetic,./respon
se,./C,./=,./Chronic,./=,./Changes,./brain
4. Altered,./ Stress,. / Response:,./ Factors,./Influencing,./Stress,./Response:
-Age,,./gender,,./culture,,./ethnicity
-Lifestyle,,./life,./experiences,,./social,./support
-Pre-existing,./ psychiatric,./ disorders
-Multiple,./simultaneous,./stressors,./’‘risk,./for,./maladaptive,./response

Acute,./Stress,./(Fight,./or,./Flight),./Signs:
-Headache
-Nausea,,./vomiting,,./ diarrhea

, NR326-
,./ Week,./ 5:,./ Stress,./ &,./ Coping

-Decreased,./appetite
-‘HR,,./RR,,./and,./BP

, NR326-
,./ Week,./ 5:,./ Stress,./ &,./ Coping


-Loss,./of,./sex,./drive
-‘Glucose,./use
-Depressed,./immune,./system
-Muscle,./tension

Prolonged,./Stress,./(Maladaptive,./Response),./Signs:
-‘Risk,./for,./stroke,./or,./myocardial,./infarction
-Weight,./gain,./or,./loss
-Hypertension
-Poor,./diabetes,./control
-‘Risk,./for,./infection
-Gastric,./ulcers
-Physical,./pain

Nursing,./ Focus:
-Acute,./=,./Protective;,./Prolonged,./=,./Pathology
-Encourage,./coping,./techniques,./to,./reduce,./long-term,./complications

=M¡emory,./Tip:
-A,./=,./Acute,./=,./Alarm
-P,./=,./Prolonged,./=,./Pathology
5. Warning, . / Signs, . / of, . / Stress:, . / Stress,./attects,./physical,,./emotional,,./behavioral,,./and,./cognitive,./domains.

Physical,./Signs:
-Early:,./Muscle,./tension,,./headache,,./fatigue
-Secondary:,./Heartburn,,./shortness,./of,./breath,,./sleep,./disturbance

Emotional, . / Signs:
-Early:,./Anxiety/sadness,,./frustration,,./loss,./of,./humor
-Secondary:,./Overreaction,,./hopelessness,,./ defensiveness

Behavioral,./ Signs:
-Early:,./Compulsive,./eating,,./hyperactivity,,./poor,./productivity