Stress, Coping, Crisis, and Self-Concept in Nursing Care (Vocabulary Flashcards)

VOCABULARY flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on stress, coping, crisis, and self-concept in nursing care.

Stress

The imbalance of homeostasis in which a threat (real or perceived) disturbs balance and provokes a physiological, emotional, or psychological response.

Stressor

A physical, psychological, or social stimulus that disrupts homeostasis and triggers a stress response.

Appraisal (stress)

How a person interprets the impact of a stressor; determines whether it is perceived as a threat, challenge, or opportunity for growth.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

A three-stage reaction to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Alarm stage

Fight-or-flight response; CNS arousal with increased hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, and energy mobilization.

Resistance stage

Body attempts to regain balance (allostasis) and cope with the stressor; energy is consumed to adapt.

Exhaustion stage

Prolonged stress depletes resources, leading to impaired function and potential organ damage.

Allostasis

The process of achieving stability through physiological or behavioral change.

Allostatic load

The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic activation of the stress response.

Primary appraisal

Initial evaluation of whether an event is threatening to one’s well-being.

Secondary appraisal

Assessment of available coping resources and options to deal with the stressor.

Coping

Cognitive-behavioral efforts to manage stress; effectiveness depends on individual needs and resources.

Ego defense mechanism

Unconscious strategies used to protect the self from anxiety and stress.

Compensation (defense)

Emphasizing a strength to make up for a perceived deficiency.”

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge distressing realities to avoid emotional pain.

Displacement

Transferring emotions from the stressed source to a less threatening substitute.

Conversion

Transforming emotional conflict into physical symptoms.

Identification

Patterning behavior after another person to cope with stress.

Dissociation

Numbing or reduced awareness of one’s surroundings during stress.

Regression

Returning to earlier developmental behaviors under stress.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Trauma-related disorder with intrusive memories, avoidance, hyperarousal, and emotional distress.

Secondary traumatic stress

Trauma resulting from witnessing others’ suffering; common in caregiving roles.

Acute stress

Time-limited stress from a single event or short-term exposure.

Chronic stress

Long-lasting stress from ongoing demands or roles.

Daily hassles

Everyday irritants (commuting, finances) that compound stress.

Crisis

A turning point in life where previous coping strategies fail and a change is needed.

Developmental crisis

Crisis arising from life-stage transitions (e.g., marriage, parenthood).

Situational crisis

External, unforeseen events (job loss, accident) creating acute distress.

Adventitious crisis

Disaster or violence-induced crisis (natural disasters, major accidents).

Burnout

Chronic emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment from prolonged work stress.

Compassion fatigue

A form of secondary traumatic stress from caring for those who are suffering.

Nursing process

Systematic five-step framework for patient care: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation.

Health promotion

Strategies to improve health and reduce stress, including exercise, sleep, nutrition, and time management.

Guided imagery

Verbal instructions directing a patient to visualize calming or positive scenes to reduce arousal.

Relaxation therapy

Nonpharmacological techniques to reduce physiological and psychological distress.

Progressive muscle relaxation

Systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups to reduce tension.

Meditation

Focused attention and mindfulness to quiet the mind and reduce stress.

Imagery

Mind-body technique using mental images to induce relaxation and improved well-being.

Biofeedback

Use of instrumentation to provide feedback on physiological processes to enable self-regulation.

Acupuncture

Insertion of needles at specific acupoints to modulate pain and energy flow.

Therapeutic touch

Energy-field-based healing technique using hands-on or near-body placement.

Complementary therapy

Nonconventional therapies used in addition to standard medical care.

Integrative therapy

Complementary therapies used in a coordinated, individualized care plan by licensed providers.

Herbal safety

Recognize that herbs can be contaminated and are not FDA-regulated; use USP-labeled products when possible.

Self-concept

How a person thinks about themselves; a subjective, evolving sense of self.

Self-esteem

How a person feels about themselves; emotional appraisal of self-concept.

Identity

Conscious sense of individuality and continuity across the lifespan.

Body image

Attitude toward one’s physical appearance and function.

Role performance

Perceived ability to perform significant social roles (e.g., parent, worker); affected by stress.

Disturbed body image

Nursing diagnosis describing negative perception of one’s body image.

Disturbed personal identity

Nursing diagnosis indicating disruption in one’s sense of self.

Ineffective role performance

Nursing diagnosis indicating difficulty fulfilling expected roles.

Readiness for enhanced self-concept

Nursing diagnosis indicating potential for improvement in self-concept.

Chronic low self-esteem

Nursing diagnosis reflecting persistent low self-worth.

Situationally low self-esteem

Nursing diagnosis indicating temporary, situation-related low self-worth.

Cultural competence

Ability to understand, respect, and integrate cultural differences into care.

Open-ended questions

Questions that invite a full, descriptive response rather than yes/no answers.

Therapeutic relationship

Trusting, respectful nurse-patient relationship essential for effective care.