A client experiences an unusually stressful life event that exceeds th

QUESTION

A client experiences an unusually stressful life event that exceeds their resources and coping skills. The nurse recognizes the client is experiencing which type of crisis?

a. Developmental
b. Private
c. Adventitious
d. Situational

ANSWER:

ANS: D
A situational crisis is an unusually stressful life event that exceeds a person’s resources and coping skills. Examples include unexpected illness or injury, rape, car accident, loss of home, spouse, job, etc. Erik Erikson’s stage model of psychosocial development forms the basis for understanding developmental crises. Each stage is associated with a psychosocial crisis to be resolved. Successful resolution of each maturational stage leaves a person better able to meet the interpersonal challenges and stressors of the next. Examples of critical incidents associated with developmental crises include: marriage, pregnancy and birth of a child, midlife crisis, retirement, meaning in aging, etc. A private crisis affects individuals and families but not the community at large. Examples include suicide, terminal diagnosis, a car crash, rape, or the death of a family member. An adventitious crisis is not a part of everyday experience. It is unplanned, unusual, horrific, and beyond anyone’s control. Examples of adventitious crisis include natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, fires, mud slides; national disasters such as terrorism, riots, wars; and crimes of violence such as rape, child abuse, assault, or murder.