Practice Question
A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) regarding brushing his teeth. The client brushes his tongue several times a day and has developed several ulcerations. Which of the following interventions should the nurse identify as a priority?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Assist the client to identify triggers to obsessive behaviors.
Rationale:
🧼 In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), compulsive behaviors like repetitive tongue brushing are driven by underlying obsessions or anxiety, and often worsened by certain triggers.
🧼 The priority intervention is to help the client identify what precedes the compulsion, so they can begin to develop awareness and insight—the foundation for treatment and behavioral change.
🧼 Once triggers are identified, the healthcare team can apply exposure and response prevention (ERP) techniques and cognitive-behavioral strategies to interrupt the cycle.
🧼 This approach also helps in preventing physical harm, such as oral ulcerations, by addressing the root cause of the repetitive behavior.
🧼 While other interventions support emotional regulation, identifying behavioral triggers is key to interrupting the OCD loop early and safely.
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This question is from RN ATI Concept of Nursing Final Exam which contains 106 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN Concept-Based Assessment Level Exam(s)
- Answer Choices: 4