Which part of the nervous system should a nurse identify as playing a major role during stressful situations?
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A
Peripheral nervous system
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B
Somatic nervous system
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C
Sympathetic nervous system
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D
Parasympathetic nervous system
The choice that aligns with the client data is Sympathetic nervous system.
A. Peripheral nervous system
This might be chosen when the idea in “Peripheral nervous system” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
B. Somatic nervous system
This reflects a related idea, but it fits best when the idea in “Somatic nervous system” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
C. Sympathetic nervous system
This is supported by the detail that The nurse should identify that the sympathetic nervous system plays a major role during stressful situations. The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for the fight-or-flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system is dominant when an individual is in a nonstressful state. Promotion and Maintenance The underlying principle in the stem is best addressed by choosing the response that is both specific to the cue provided and consistent with evidence-informed psychiatric nursing practice. From a nursing standpoint, this selection guides assessment and interventions toward what is most clinically meaningful in the moment—risk reduction, safety, accurate appraisal, and support for adaptive coping.
D. Parasympathetic nervous system
This could seem tempting if the idea in “Parasympathetic nervous system” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
Conclusion
The stem provides enough information to select the most accurate interpretation without adding extra assumptions. The chosen answer reflects the correct framework, and the remaining choices drift toward incomplete, premature, or misdirected reasoning.