Clients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following t

Clients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the World Trade Tower bombing work with nurses in the medical center. An approach that is appropriate and should be incorporated into the plan of care is:

1. Suppression of anxiety-producing memories
2. Reinforcement that the PTSD is short term
3. Promotion of relaxation strategies
4. Focus on physical needs

ANSWER

ANS: 3
Teaching the client relaxation strategies can help reduce the stress of anxiety-provoking thoughts and events, as seen in PTSD, and reinforces an adaptive coping strategy. Suppression would be a maladaptive coping mechanism. PSTD persists longer than 1 month. The focus should be on de-veloping adaptive coping mechanisms and lowering the individual’s anxiety. The focus is not on physical needs for the client who is experiencing PTSD.