Anxiety

Objective Provided with a scenario of a patient with signs and symptoms of anxiety, the nursing student will be able to categorize the level of anxiety exhibited by the patient, according to the criterion of the 4 levels of anxiety found in your Varcarolis’ text.

Provided with a scenario of a patient with signs and symptoms of anxiety, the nursing student will be able to categorize the level of anxiety exhibited by the patient, according to the criterion of the 4 levels of anxiety found in your Varcarolis’ text.

Anxiety Response to a stressful situation Results from a threat (real or perceived)

Response to a stressful situation

Results from a threat (real or perceived)

Levels of Anxiety Mild Moderate Severe Panic

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Panic

Mild Anxiety Perceptual field heightened Grasps what is happening Identifies disturbing things Can work toward a goal Can examine alternatives

Perceptual field heightened

Grasps what is happening

Identifies disturbing things

Can work toward a goal

Can examine alternatives

Mild Anxiety Experiences slight discomfort Restlessness Irritability Mild tension relieving behaviors

Experiences slight discomfort

Restlessness

Irritability

Mild tension relieving behaviors

Moderate Anxiety Perceptual field narrows Selective inattention Needs to have things pointed out Problem solving ability moderately impaired Benefit from guidance/support

Perceptual field narrows

Selective inattention

Needs to have things pointed out

Problem solving ability moderately impaired

Benefit from guidance/support

Moderate Anxiety Shaky voice, concentration difficult Sympathetic nervous system symptoms

Shaky voice, concentration difficult

Sympathetic nervous system symptoms

Moderate Anxiety Mild somatic complaints

Mild somatic complaints

Severe Anxiety Perceptual field greatly reduced Learning & problem solving not possible Attention scattered Self-absorbed

Perceptual field greatly reduced

Learning & problem solving not possible

Attention scattered

Self-absorbed

Severe Anxiety Can’t attend to events or see connections Perceptions distorted Feelings of dread/doom

Can’t attend to events or see connections

Perceptions distorted

Feelings of dread/doom

Severe Anxiety Sympathetic nervous system symptoms

Sympathetic nervous system symptoms

Severe Anxiety Confusion, purposeless activity

Confusion, purposeless activity

Severe Anxiety Somatic symptoms increase

Somatic symptoms increase

Panic Level Anxiety www.everyhomeremedy.com/20/06 09/06 Unable to focus on environment Terror, emotional paralysis

Unable to focus on environment

Terror, emotional paralysis

Panic Level Anxiety Hallucinations/delusions Muteness, severe withdrawal, immobility Extreme agitation, severe shakiness

Hallucinations/delusions

Muteness, severe withdrawal, immobility

Extreme agitation, severe shakiness

Panic Level Anxiety Disorganized, irrational thinking Unintelligible speech

Disorganized, irrational thinking

Unintelligible speech

Anxiety Are you prepared to assess your patient’s anxiety level?

Are you prepared to assess your

patient’s anxiety level?