SJH Nursing Officer - 2019
Mental Health Nursing
Easy
A patient approached Nurse asking for advice on how to deal with his alcohol addiction. Nurse should tell the client that the only effective treatment for alcoholism is?
Appeared in: SJH Nursing Officer - 2019
Explanation
- Total abstinence is the foundational goal and the only state in which recovery from alcohol dependence can truly begin and be sustained.
- For a person with alcoholism, attempts at 'controlled' or 'moderate' drinking are typically unsuccessful and lead to relapse.
- All other effective treatment modalities, such as psychotherapy and support groups, are designed to help the individual achieve and maintain total abstinence.
- Continued alcohol use, even in reduced amounts, perpetuates the cycle of addiction and continues to cause physiological and psychological harm.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Psychotherapy is a crucial method for supporting recovery, but it is not the 'only' effective treatment. Its effectiveness is dependent on the patient's commitment to abstinence.
- Option B: Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is a peer-support fellowship, not a formal medical treatment. While highly effective for many, its entire philosophy is based on achieving and maintaining total abstinence.
- Option D: Aversion therapy is a specific, and somewhat controversial, behavioral technique. It is only one of many tools and is rarely used as a standalone treatment. It is not considered the 'only' effective treatment.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Core principles of treatment for alcohol use disorder (alcoholism) to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
- A nurse's role is to provide clear, evidence-based advice. For alcoholism, the safest and most effective message is that complete cessation of drinking is necessary for recovery.
- Nurses often use motivational interviewing techniques (like FRAMES) to help patients explore their own reasons for change and build commitment to abstinence.
- It is critical for the nurse to assess for signs of alcohol withdrawal, which can be life-threatening, and ensure the patient has a plan for safe, medically supervised detoxification if needed.
How to Approach the Question
- First, analyze the question's core demand. The keyword 'only' signals the need for the most fundamental, non-negotiable element of treatment.
- Evaluate each option's role in addiction recovery. Differentiate between treatment goals, treatment methods, and support systems.
- Recognize that Psychotherapy, A.A., and Aversion Therapy are all methods or supports designed to help a person stop drinking.
- Identify 'Total abstinence' as the ultimate goal and the required state for any of the other methods to be effective.
- Conclude that because recovery is impossible without ceasing alcohol use, total abstinence is the most correct answer to a question asking for the 'only' effective treatment.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Core principles of treatment for alcohol use disorder (alcoholism).
- Stem keywords: alcohol addiction, alcoholism, effective treatment, nurse advice
- Lead-in keywords: only effective treatment
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QoSXmwJI1KTJreUziUHICj
Reference Book
E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 2 (pp 290-564 of 579) p. 5-7
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 4255-4257
Practise the full SJH Nursing Officer - 2019
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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