What is an appropriate nursing intervention to help a client with generalized anxiety disorder feel less anxious?

For a client experiencing generalized anxiety disorder, staying with the client during anxiety episodes is an effective nursing intervention. This approach provides a sense of security and support, helping the client feel less alone during a time of heightened anxiety. When a nurse remains present, it can facilitate trust and promote a calming environment, allowing for reassurance that the client is safe and supported.

This intervention acknowledges the immediate emotional experience of the client and offers companionship, which can be comforting. It can also create opportunities for the nurse to help the client use coping strategies, provide information, or guide them toward grounding techniques that may alleviate anxiety.

In contrast, creating an environment with high stimuli could exacerbate the client's anxiety rather than reduce it. Providing detailed directions may overwhelm the client further, as individuals with generalized anxiety disorder often struggle with processing information when anxious. Finally, refraining from communication until anxiety is decreased could leave the client feeling abandoned or isolated, which may increase their anxiety rather than alleviate it.