What must be present for the nurse to consider a client in crisis?

What must be present for the nurse to consider a client in crisis?

• A. Presence of physiological symptoms
• B. Event that has drastically changed a client's life
• C. Usual coping mechanisms are ineffective
• D. Event is perceived as a threat

Answer: (C)

A crisis occurs when an event or situation overwhelms the person’s usual coping resources and they cannot restore balance using their familiar strategies. That’s why the option stating that usual coping mechanisms are ineffective best identifies a crisis—the inability to cope with the new stress signals the need for support and intervention to help regain equilibrium. Simply having physiological symptoms, or an event that drastically changes life, or the event being perceived as a threat can occur without a crisis if the person can still cope with those factors using their usual resources. The defining feature is the failure of those usual coping methods to reestablish stability.

A crisis occurs when an event or situation overwhelms the person’s usual coping resources and they cannot restore balance using their familiar strategies. That’s why the option stating that usual coping mechanisms are ineffective best identifies a crisis—the inability to cope with the new stress signals the need for support and intervention to help regain equilibrium.

Simply having physiological symptoms, or an event that drastically changes life, or the event being perceived as a threat can occur without a crisis if the person can still cope with those factors using their usual resources. The defining feature is the failure of those usual coping methods to reestablish stability.