3 Stress Coping and Adaptation

Adaptation

Capacity to survive and flourish in the face of adversity and achieve homeostasis

Developmental stress

predictable stress that occurs at different stages throughout life

Stress

physical, emotional, and behavioral responses because of the challenges we face throughout life the experience in which the person experience changes in normal balanced state

Eustress

Positive stress, (preparation for a wedding, party, or a baby)
may lead to constructive change or progress

Distress

Negative stress, can lead to illness or death, suppresses immune system

Stressor

an event that causes a person to experience stress

5 Stress responses

Behavioral(sleep/drugs)
Emotional(crying)
Cognitive(poor memory)
Biochemical(Altered hormones/endorphins)
Physiological(bp+hr)

Infant's stress

Trust and Mistrust

Toddler's stress

learning to control elimination(bowls/bladder)

School age stress

learning to socialize with peers

Adolescent's stress

strives for independence

Middle aged Adult Stress

accepting physical signs of aging

Older adult stress

reflecting on past life experiences with no regrets

Situational Stress

unpredictable, can occur at any time throughout life

Causes of situational stress (4)

death of a family member, a divorce, birth of a sibling, hospitalization

Coping

managing events perceived as stressful (anything we do to deal with stress)

General Adaptation Syndrome (3 stages)

Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion

alarm stage of general adaptation syndrome

Hormone release, Fight or flight

resistance stage of general adaptation syndrome

attempts to resist or adapt to stressor and equalize heart rate
Use coping mechanisms to calm down, if not may lead to exhaustion

exhaust stage of general adaptation syndrome

Body looses the ability to cope,
Body depleated energy sources and immune system is weakened

Where do most stressful events take place in General Adaptation Syndrome

the alarm and resistance stage

10 defense mechanisms

compensation, denial, displacement, projection, rationalization, reaction formation, regression, repression, sublimation, undoing

Compensation : Defense Mechanism

overachievement in one area to offset deficiencies in another

Denial (defense mechanism)

refusing to admit the reality of a situation

Displacement (defense mechanism)

transfers an emotional response of unrelated stress on another person

Projection (defense mechanism)

contributing undesirable feelings on another person

Rationalization (defense mechanism)

tries to give a more socially more acceptable explanation for their questionable behavior

Reaction formation (defense mechanism)

unconsciously attitude or behavior that are oppisite of
their true feelings

Regression (defense mechanism)

regress back to an early behavior that makes one feel more comfortable

Repression (defense mechanism)

storing painful feelings in the subconscious

Sublimation (defense mechanism)

transformation of unwanted impulses into something less harmful, and more socially acceptable
(Football takes anger out on the field)

Undoing (defense mech)

when a person uses acts to undo a previous act

Subjective data

Comes from the patient

Questions to get subjective data (assessing stress)

How do you handle stress?
What support systems do you rely on?
What present situations are causing you stress?

Objective data

Things the nurse can see and measure, Pt's body language, voice, and facial expressions

Physical Assessment for stress signs

elevated BP, HR, headaches, SOB, loss of appetite, and muscle tension

Nursing diagnoses for stress ex.'s

anxiety
caregiver role strain
ineffective coping
stress overload
insomnia

Stress Management strategies

exercising, relaxation, support system, positive self talk