Nurse's Pocket Guide

POST-TRAUMA SYNDROME
intellectualizing the experience, which allows client to deal
with reality while taking time to work out feelings.
• Assist in dealing with practical concerns and effects of the
incident, such as court appearances, altered relationships with
SO(s), employment problems.
• Provide for sensitive, trained counselors/therapists and
engage in therapies, such as psychotherapy, Implosive
Therapy (flooding), hypnosis, relaxation, rolfing, memory
work, cognitive restructuring, Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing (EMDR), physical and occupational
therapies.
• Administer psychotropic medications, as indicated.
NURSING PRIORITY NO. 3. To promote wellness (Teaching/
Discharge Considerations):
• Assist client to identify and monitor feelings while therapy is
occurring.
• Provide information about what reactions client may expect
during each phase. Helps reduce fear of the unknown. Let
client know these are common reactions. Be sure to phrase in
neutral terms of “You may or you may not...”
• Assist client to identify factors that may have created a vulnerable
situation and that he or she may have power to change
to protect self in the future.
• Avoid making value judgments.
• Discuss lifestyle changes client is contemplating and how they
may contribute to recovery. Helps client evaluate appropriateness
of plans and identify shortcomings (e.g., moving
away from effective support group).
• Assist client to learn stress-management techniques.
• Discuss drug regimen, potential side effects of prescribed
medications, and necessity of prompt reporting of untoward
effects.
• Discuss recognition of, and ways to manage, “anniversary
reactions,” reinforcing normalcy of recurrence of thoughts
and feelings at this time.
• Suggest support group for SO(s) to assist with understanding
and ways to deal with client.
• Encourage psychiatric consultation, especially if client is
unable to maintain control, is violent, is inconsolable, or does
not seem to be making an adjustment.
• Refer for long-term individual/family/marital counseling, if
indicated.
• Refer to NDs Powerlessness; ineffective Coping; Grieving;
complicated Grieving.
Information in brackets added by the authors to clarify and enhance
the use of nursing diagnoses.
532 Cultural Collaborative Community/Home Care