A client who has been robbed, beaten, and sexually assaulted is prescribed 0.25 mg of alprazolam for agitation. Which event would prompt the nurse to administer this medication?

A client who has been robbed, beaten, and sexually assaulted is prescribed 0.25 mg of alprazolam for agitation. Which event would prompt the nurse to administer this medication?

• A. The client requests something to calm her
• B. The client sleeps peacefully
• C. The client declines all fluids
• D. The client reports no pain

Answer: (A)

A benzodiazepine like alprazolam is used to relieve acute anxiety and agitation. When the patient expresses a desire for something to calm her, that verbal cue indicates she is experiencing distress and hyperarousal, so administering a small anxiolytic dose helps reduce agitation and promote calmness. The other situations don’t reflect anxiety-driven agitation: sleeping peacefully suggests sedation or rest rather than the need for further calming, declining fluids isn’t related to anxiety management, and reporting no pain doesn’t require an anxiolytic. In this context, the request for something to calm her directly signals the need for the medication to alleviate her agitation.

A benzodiazepine like alprazolam is used to relieve acute anxiety and agitation. When the patient expresses a desire for something to calm her, that verbal cue indicates she is experiencing distress and hyperarousal, so administering a small anxiolytic dose helps reduce agitation and promote calmness. The other situations don’t reflect anxiety-driven agitation: sleeping peacefully suggests sedation or rest rather than the need for further calming, declining fluids isn’t related to anxiety management, and reporting no pain doesn’t require an anxiolytic. In this context, the request for something to calm her directly signals the need for the medication to alleviate her agitation.