Practice Question
Mr. Hosa narrowly avoids a car accident. His body responds with increased energy, heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness. The sympathetic nervous system prepares him to fight or flee. What phase of the stress response is he experiencing?
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Correct Answer:
Alarm reaction
Rationale:
🔷 The alarm reaction is the first stage of the stress response (General Adaptation Syndrome) when the body initially perceives a threat or stressor.
🔷 In this phase, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, releasing catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine).
🔷 This results in increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and alertness, preparing the body for “fight or flight.”
🔷 Mr. Hosa’s response—increased energy, HR, BP, and alertness after narrowly avoiding an accident—fits this acute, immediate alarm stage.
🔷 The alarm reaction is adaptive in the short term, giving the body the boost needed to respond to acute danger.
Recovery phase
🔷 The recovery phase occurs after the stressor has passed and the body begins to return to baseline, restoring balance.
🔷 Mr. Hosa is described in the midst of active arousal, not in the phase where he is calming down.
Exhaustion phase
🔷 The exhaustion phase occurs when stress is prolonged and coping resources are depleted, leading to potential illness or collapse.
🔷 This is not consistent with an acute, immediate response to a single sudden stressor.
Countershock phase
🔷 The countershock phase is sometimes described as a component within the alarm stage when physiologic defenses are mobilized after an initial “shock.”
🔷 The broader, best answer describing the entire initial stress response phase in this context is “alarm reaction,” not just countershock.
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This question is from Custom N1100 Fall 25 Comprehensive Final Exam which contains 86 questions.
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From Exam
Custom N1100 Fall 25 Comprehensive Final Exam
86 Questions
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- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN Custom Exam(s)
- Answer Choices: 4