Question

A client is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of conversion disorder. Since witnessing the beating of his wife at gunpoint, he has been unable to move his arms, complaining that they are paralyzed. When planning the client's care, the nurse should focus on:

1. helping the client identify and verbalize feelings about the incident.
2. convincing the client that his arms aren't paralyzed.
3. developing rehabilitation strategies to help the client learn to live with the disability.
4. talking about topics other than the beating to avoid causing anxiety.

Answer 1

The nurse should focus on helping the client identify and verbalize feelings about the incident when planning the care for a client diagnosed with conversion disorder.

Step-by-step explanation:

When planning the care for a client diagnosed with conversion disorder, the nurse should focus on helping the client identify and verbalize feelings about the incident. Conversion disorder is a condition where psychological distress is expressed as physical symptoms, such as paralysis. By encouraging the client to express their feelings, the nurse can help them process the traumatic event and potentially alleviate symptoms.

It is important to note that simply convincing the client that their arms aren't paralyzed (option 2) may not be effective because the paralysis experienced by the client is a result of psychological distress and not a physical cause. Developing rehabilitation strategies (option 3) may not be appropriate as the paralysis in conversion disorder is not due to a physical disability. Talking about topics other than the beating (option 4) may not address the underlying psychological distress.