Fundamentals: Chapter 37 Flashcards
Define stress
An experience to which a person is exposed through a stimulus or stressor
Define stressor
tension-producing stimuli operating within or on any system
How do people interpret the impact of a stressor on themselves or on what is happening and what they are able to do about it?
Appraisal
What happens when stress overwhelms existing coping mechanisms?
Patients lose emotional balance and crisis results
What happens if symptoms of stress persist beyond the duration of the stressor?
A person has experienced trauma
What is the arousal of the sympathetic nervous system which prepares a person for action?
Flight-or-fight response
What are the 3 structures in the body that control the response of the body to a stressor?
Medulla oblangata
Reticular formation
Pituitary glad
What are the physiological responses to a stressor?
Increased mental activity
Dilated Pupils
Bronchiolar dilation
Increased respiratory rate
Increased HR
Increased CO
Increased arterial blood pressure
Increased glucose
Increased fatty acids
Increased blood flow to skeletal muscles
What does the medulla oblangata do?
controls HR, blood pressure, and respirations
What does the reticular formation do?
continuously monitor the physiological status of the body through connections with sensory and motor tracts
What does the pituitary glad do?
produces hormones necessary for adaptation to stress (adrenocorticotropic, thyroid, gonadal, parathyroid hormones)
What are the three stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?
Alarm Reaction
Resistance Stage
Exhaustion Stage
How does a person progress from the alarm reaction stage to the resistance stage of the GAS?
the stressor poses an extreme threat to life or remains for a long time
What happens if the stress response during the resistance stage of the GAS is chronically activated?
a state of allostasis which causes excessive wear and tear on the person
What is primary appraisal?
evaluating an event for it’s personal meaning
What is secondary appraisal?
the use of coping strategies once stress is present
What are the 7 examples of Ego-Defense Mechanisms?
Compensation
Conversion
Denial
Displacement
Identification
Dissociation
Regression
What does a crisis imply?
that a person is facing a turning point in life
What are the 3 types of crisis?
Developmental (ie. marriage)
Situational (ie. new job)
Adventitious (ie. crime)
Which factors influence the return of equilibrium or homeostasis after a crisis?
perception of event, situation supports, and coping mechanisms
Which stress model model views the person, family, or community as constantly changing in response to the environment and stressors and helps explain individual, family, and community responses to stressors?
Neuman Systems model
In the Neuman Systems model, what are the the types of stressors?
Intrapersonal, interpersonal, extrapersonal
What does the Neuman Systems model emphasize?
the importance of accuracy in assessment and interventions that promote optimal wellness using primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention stages
When assessing a patient facing a stressor where should the nurse’s attention be focused?
determining the patient’s perception of the situation an his or her ability to cope with the stress
What are examples of subjective finding related to a patient’s level of stress and coping?
information about the health status of a patient from his/her perspective
patient’s VIEW of stress
coping resources
any possible maladaptive coping
adherence to precscribed medical recommendations.
What are examples of objective findings related to a patient’s level of stress and coping?
Grooming and hygiene
Gait
characteristics of a handshake
actions while sitting
quality of speech
eye contact
attitude of a patient during interview
Physiological: increased P,R,B/P
What do nursing diagnoses for people experiencing stress generally focus on?
coping
What are examples of desirable outcomes for persons experiencing stress?
effective coping, family coping, caregiver emotional health
What are the 3 primary modes of intervention for stress?
decrease stress producing situations
increase resistance to stress
learn skills that reduce physiological response to stress
What are the 3 types of interventions found to be most effective in promoting physical activity among chronically ill adults?
target physical activity exclusively
use behavioral strategies
encourage self-monitoring
What is the time frame in which a crisis is usually resolved?
6 weeks.
