05 Stress, Coping, and Resilience Free Online FlashCards

What is stress?

Stress is the body’s physical and emotional response to a challenging or changing situation.

How does appraisal influence a person’s response to a stressor?

A person’s appraisal of whether a situation feels threatening, manageable, or beyond available resources influences their emotional response and coping choices.

What can persistent stress affect?

Persistent stress can affect sleep, concentration, mood, physical health, and management of existing health conditions.

What is problem-focused coping?

Problem-focused coping addresses a changeable stressor through steps such as gathering information, setting priorities, planning, and acting.

How should a coping strategy be evaluated?

A strategy’s usefulness depends on its context, safety, and consequences; nurses should explore what it does for the person before judging it.

What is resilience?

Resilience is the capacity to adapt, recover, or find ways forward during adversity.

What can support resilience?

Resilience can be supported by personal skills, relationships, cultural and community resources, access to care, and practical conditions such as safe housing and adequate rest.

What should a nurse assess when a person reports stress?

Ask what has changed, what feels difficult, how stress affects daily life, and what the person has tried. Also assess strengths, preferred coping, support, and practical needs.

How can a nurse build a respectful, collaborative relationship?

Use a calm tone, open-ended questions, active listening, and reflection. Avoid minimizing concerns, giving premature advice, or assuming one approach fits everyone.

How should nurses evaluate a coping plan?

Agree on a specific, attainable goal and timeframe, then review whether it helped. If it did not, reassess the stressor, barriers, and needed support rather than blaming the patient.

What is a stressor?

A stressor is an event or condition that prompts the body’s stress response.

When is emotion-focused coping useful?

Emotion-focused coping helps manage distress when the situation cannot be quickly changed; examples include paced breathing, journaling, and relaxation.