Psychosocial Nursing Concepts Exam 2

Palliative care

holistic approach to caring for patients and families facing serious, life-limiting illnesses. Its goals include: improving quality of life, relief of suffering, and supporting the patients' emotional and spiritual needs.

Hospice care

a type of palliative care that specifically focuses on providing comfort and support to patients who are in the final stage of a terminal illness — typically when life expectancy is six months or less and curative treatment is no longer pursued.

Loss is

The absence of something valued— can be physical (death, health) or symbolic (independence, role).

Grief

The emotional response to loss; includes sadness, anger, guilt, loneliness, and even peace.

Complicated grief

Avoidance, panic, suicidal ideation, drug or alcohol use, flooding with negative images ordrug or alcohol use, flooding with negative images or emotions, failure to negotiate the process of mourning, emotions, failure to negotiate the process of mourning, inability to work.

Chronic grief 

grief extending for at least a year after death

Delayed grief

grief reactions are postponed or suppressed

Exaggerated grief

when the individual takes drastic measures that are self-destructive (e.g., suicide)

Masked grief

present when the survivor is unaware that behaviors that are interfering with normal activities are a result of are interfering with normal activities are a result of the loss

Four Task of Mourning 

1. Accept the reality of the loss

2. Process the pain of grief while caring for the self

3. Adjust to a world without deceased

4. Find an enduring connection with the deceased in the midst of embarking on a new life

Substance use disorder

A compulsive, abnormal dependence on a substance (such as alcohol, cocaine, opiates, or tobacco) or on a behavior (such as gambling, Internet, or pornography)

Insomina

difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep; often linked to stress or anxiety

Sleep Apnea

interrupted breathing during sleep; may cause daytime sleepiness and cardiovascular risk

Narcolepsy 

sudden sleep episodes and muscle tone loss (cataplexy)

Restless Leg Syndrome

urge to move legs, especially at rest; disrupts sleep

Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Misalignment of internal clock with environment (night shift, jet lag)

Mourning

The outward, cultural expression of grief (e.g., funerals, rituals)

Bereavement

The period of grief following a death

Anticipatory grief

occurs before a loss

Normal grief

gradual adjustment over time

Compilcated

prolonged, intense, or disabling grief

Disenfranchised grief

grief not socially recognized( miscarriage, loss of a pet)

Anorexia nervosa (AN)

Restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain, distorted body image

Anorexia nervosa (AN) interventions

Monitor for bradycardia, hypotension, electrolyte imbalance, refeeding syndrome; promote body image healing

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)

Binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise)

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) interventions

Assess for dental erosion, parotid gland swelling, dehydration, Russell’s sign; support CBT and nutrition

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Recurrent binge episodes without purging; often linked to emotional distress

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) interventions

Promote awareness of emotional triggers; support CBT; avoid weight-shaming interventions

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Limited food intake due to sensory issues, fear of choking, or lack of interest in eating

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) interventions

Rule out medical causes; support nutritional rehabilitation and behavioral therapy

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)

Symptoms don’t meet full criteria for AN or BN but still cause distress and impairment

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED) interventions

Individualized care; validate symptoms; monitor for co-occurring anxiety or depression.

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)

Multiple physical symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors about them; symptoms may or may not have a medical basis

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) interventions

Validate distress, avoid excessive medical tests, support CBT and coping strategies

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness despite minimal or no symptoms

llness Anxiety Disorder interventions 

Reassure without reinforcing fears, encourage regular follow-up, avoid unnecessary diagnostics

Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder)

Neurological symptoms (e.g., paralysis, blindness) without medical cause, often linked to psychological stress

Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder) interventions

Prioritize safety, assess for secondary gain, support psychotherapy

Factitious Disorder

intentional production of symptoms to assume the sick role, without external incentives

Factitious Disorder interventions 

maintain therapeutic boundaries, document objectively, involve interdisciplinary team

Malingering

Intentional symptom fabrication for external gain (e.g., avoiding work, obtaining drugs)

Malingering interventions

Not a psychiatric diagnosis; focus on objective assessment and legal/ethical implications.

Cluster A: Odd/Eccentric

Social detachment, suspiciousness

Cluster A: Odd/Eccentric Disorders

Paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal

Cluster B: Dramatic/Emotional

Impulsivity, emotional, instability

Cluster B: Dramatic/Emotional Disorders 

Borderline, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic 

Cluster C: Anxious/Fearful

Avoidance, dependency, rigidity 

Cluster C: Anxious/Fearful

Avoidant, dependent, obessive-compulsive