Anxiety
Clinical Description
Care of the hospitalized patient experiencing feelings of apprehension, uneasiness, uncertainty or dread about possible future events and the ability to deal with the events.
Key Information
- Anxiety is a subjective, individual experience ranging from vague discomfort to feelings of panic. It is a normal response to threatening situations.
- Anxiety can become excessive and difficult to control; negatively affecting day-to-day living, physical comfort and medical diagnosis symptoms
Clinical Goals
By transition of care
A. The patient will demonstrate achievement of the following goals:
- Anxiety Reduction or Resolution
B. Patient, family or significant other will teach back or demonstrate education topics and points:
- Education: Overview
- Education: Self Management
- Education: When to Seek Medical Attention
Correlate Health Status
Correlate health status to:
- history, comorbidity
- age, developmental level
- sex, gender identity
- baseline assessment data
- physiologic status
- response to medication and interventions
- psychosocial status, social determinants of health
- barriers to accessing care and services
- health literacy
- cultural and spiritual preferences
- safety risks
- family interaction
- plan for transition of care
Anxiety
Signs/Symptoms/Presentation
- acting out
- agitation
- anger
- apprehension
- crying
- distress
- fear
- helplessness
- hypervigilance
- increased dependence
- irritability
- joking
- nervousness
- panic
- regressive behavior
- restlessness
- sense of impending doom
- social withdrawal
- worry
Physical symptoms
- dry mouth
- muscle tension
- shortness of breath
- skin flushed
- skin rash
- sleep disturbance
- urinary frequency
- urinary urgency
Vital Signs
• heart rate increased
Problem Intervention(s)
Promote Anxiety Reduction
- Maintain a calm and reassuring environment; minimize noise; provide familiar items; cluster care; offer choices.
- Encourage support system presence and participation.
- Support expression and identification of feelings and worries; compassionately acknowledge and validate concerns.
- Utilize existing coping strategies and assist in developing new strategies (e.g., music, deep breathing, relaxation techniques, massage, meditation or pet therapy).
- Identify thoughts and feelings that led to current anxiety onset to enhance understanding of triggers.
- Reframe anxiety-provoking situations; provide a new perspective; engage in problem-solving.
- Utilize anticipatory guidance to enhance sense of control.
- Consider referral for a comprehensive assessment if there are concerns about the number, severity and duration of symptoms; degree of distress; functional impairment or excessive substance use.
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