Anxiety NCLEX Review for Nursing Students + Free Download

Understanding Anxiety 

Is crucial for nursing students due to its prevalence and significant impact on patients' overall well-being here's why:

Recognition and Assessment: Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions. Nursing students need to recognize their various manifestations, such as excessive worry, panic attacks, and avoidance behaviors. Early recognition enables timely intervention and prevents the escalation of symptoms.

Effective Communication: Effective communication is essential in nursing. Knowing how to approach and communicate with patients experiencing anxiety helps reduce their distress and enhances nurse-patient rapport.

Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions: Understanding anxiety helps nursing students provide appropriate interventions, including administering medications, implementing relaxation techniques, and teaching coping skills.

Suicide Risk Assessment: Certain anxiety disorders, like generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, can increase suicide risk. Nursing students need to be skilled in assessing and managing suicide risk.

NCLEX Preparation: Anxiety-related questions are common in nursing exams like the NCLEX. A solid understanding of anxiety ensures nursing students can confidently answer such questions.

Compassionate Care: Nursing students equipped with knowledge about anxiety can provide compassionate care that acknowledges the distress and challenges patients face. This can significantly improve the patient experience.

By comprehending anxiety, nursing students can deliver informed care that addresses the multifaceted aspects of anxiety disorders. This knowledge empowers nursing students to be advocates for patients' mental health and well-being, aligning with the holistic approach that nursing embodies.

Overview for Anxiety

• A sense of worry or nervousness, typically about an upcoming event with an uncertain outcome.

• Anxiety is a normal part of life, but becomes concerning when it is persistent, chronic, and/or is a
response to normal life activities.

General Information for Anxiety

1. Types of anxiety
      a. Normal: healthy
     b. Acute: sudden, related to an event/threat (also normal)
     c. Chronic: consistent, related to normal daily activities

Assessment for Anxiety

1. Levels
         a. Mild: can be healthy, motivating, and produce growth
         b. Moderate: can still function and solve problems/issues
        c. Severe: individual needs someone to refocus them
        d. Panic: dread, impending doom, and lack of rational thoughts - this can lead to exhaustion

Therapeutic Management for Anxiety

1. Therapeutic interventions
        a. Ensure safety
        b. Provide a calming and safe environment
        c. Establish trust and acknowledge the anxiety
       d. Encourage expression of thoughts, feelings, and problem-solving
       e. Promote their coping mechanisms; do not critique/criticize
       f. Provide gross motor activities to reduce stress
              i. Definition: movement and coordination of arms, legs, and large body parts
             ii. Examples: running, walking, jumping
       g. Give anti-anxiety meds PRN
2. Interventions for an acute anxiety attack
       a. Decrease stimuli and maintain a calm environment
            i. Overstimulation makes it worse
      b. Encourage the client to identify and discuss feelings and their causes
            i. This helps them to see connections between the behaviors and their resulting feelings
      c. Listen/watch for indications of risk for self-harm like helplessness and hopelessness
            i. Safety is the priority

Nursing Care Plan for Anxiety 

• Patient reports persistent feelings of restlessness, worry, and apprehension.
• Increased heart rate, palpitations, and shallow breathing observed.
• Patient expresses fear of losing control or impending doom.
• Difficulty concentrating and insomnia noted.
• Patient avoids social interactions and certain situations due to anxiety.
• Patient's anxiety levels assessed using a standardized anxiety scale.

• Anxiety related to perceived threat and physiological response.
• Ineffective Coping related to maladaptive responses to stressors.
• Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to heightened anxiety levels.

• Patient will report reduced anxiety levels as evidenced by a decrease in self-reported anxiety scores.
• Patient will demonstrate effective coping strategies to manage anxiety.
• Patient will experience improved sleep patterns.

Interventions:

1. Anxiety Reduction:

• Provide a calm and quiet environment to reduce sensory overload.
• Teach and encourage deep-breathing techniques to promote relaxation and reduce physiological symptoms.
• Administer prescribed anti-anxiety medications as ordered by the physician.
• Collaborate with the healthcare team to explore the possibility of cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychotherapy sessions.

• Engage the patient in identifying triggering situations and thoughts that contribute to anxiety.
• Teach mindfulness and grounding techniques to redirect focus and manage racing thoughts.
• Introduce journaling or expressive art as outlets for emotions.
• Discuss and practice problem-solving techniques to address stressors and worries.

• Encourage a consistent sleep schedule, aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Teach relaxation exercises or progressive muscle relaxation to promote better sleep quality.
• Collaborate with the healthcare provider to evaluate the need for sleep aids if sleep disturbances persist.

• Educate the patient about the nature of anxiety, its triggers, and the mind-body connection.
• Provide information about available support groups, counseling services, and helplines.
• Involve the patient's family in education sessions to create a supportive home environment.

• Patient's self-reported anxiety scores decrease from [baseline] to [desired level].
• Patient demonstrates the ability to identify and implement at least two effective coping strategies.
• Patient reports improved sleep quality and demonstrates adherence to recommended sleep hygiene practices.

• Provide the patient with a written plan summarizing coping techniques and relaxation strategies.
• Schedule follow-up appointments with the healthcare provider to monitor progress and adjust interventions if needed.
• Ensure that the patient has access to community resources and support groups for continued assistance.

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