The nurse is preparing to discharge a patient diagnosed with anxiety and depression. During evaluation, the nurse determines that which of the patient's outcomes indicate an improvement?

Question

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4. During an evaluation, the nurse determines if the patient's goals and objectives have been fully, partially, or not met at all. Improvement is evaluated by attainment of specific, realistic, and measurable goals. The only answer choice that meets the criteria is the patient sleeping six hours 5 days/week (specific, realistic, and measurable), because patients with depression typically sleep more than 10 hours/day. Reporting a decrease in physical symptoms does not provide a realistic determination of symptoms, nor a measurable time-frame by which the patient should report this decrease. Verbalizing anxiety-causing activities and staying focused for a limited amount of time are not specific, realistic, or measurable goals.

The Nurse Is Preparing to Discharge a Patient Diagnosed with Anxiety