A 72-year-old client is in a long-term care facility after having had

A 72-year-old client is in a long-term care facility after having had a cerebrovascular accident. The client is noncommunicative, enteral feedings are not being absorbed, and respirations are be-coming labored.

Which of the stages of the GAS is the client experiencing?
1. Alarm reaction
2. Resistance stage
3. Exhaustion stage
4. Reflex pain response

ANSWER

ANS: 3
The exhaustion stage occurs when the body can no longer resist the effects of the stressor and when the energy necessary to maintain adaptation is depleted. During the alarm reaction, rising hormone levels result in increased blood volume, epinephrine and norepinephrine amounts, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, oxygen intake, and mental alertness. During the resistance stage, the body stabilizes. Reflex pain response is not a stage of GAS.