- Anticipation of pain
- Anticipation or perceived physical threat or danger
- Fear of an event
- Unfamiliar environment
- Environmental stimuli
- Separation from support system
- Treatments and invasive procedures
- Threat of death
- Language barrier
- Knowledge deficit
- Sensory impairment
- Specific phobias
As evidenced by: [Check those that apply]
- Identifies fearful feelings or object of fear
- Increased respirations, heart rate, and respiratory rate
- Denial
- Tension
- Fright
- Jitteriness
- Apprehension
- Impulsivity
- Alertness
Patient’s Diagnosis: –
Date:-
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- manifests coping behaviors.
- verbalizes or manifests a reduction or absence of fear.
- Others
Note: you need to indicate time frame/target as objective must be measurable.
| Nursing Interventions | Scientific Rationale |
|---|---|
| Determine what the patient is fearful of by careful and thoughtful questioning. | The external source of fear can be identified and current responses can be assessed. |
| Assess the degree of fear and the measures patient uses to cope with that fear | Helps determine the effectiveness of coping strategies used by the patient. |
| Document behavioral and verbal expressions of fear. | Physiological symptoms and/or complaints will intensify as the level of fear increases. |
| Determine to what degree the patient's fears may be affecting their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). | Persistent, immobilizing fears may require treatment with antianxiety medications or referral to specially designed treatment programs. |
| AAcknowledge your awareness of the patient's fear. | This validates the feelings the patient is having and communicates an acceptance of those feelings. |
| Stay with patient to promote safety, especially during frightening procedures or treatments. | The presence of a trusted person increases the patient's sense of security and safety during a period of fear. |
| Maintain a calm and tolerant manner while interacting with patient. | The patient's feeling of stability increases in a calm and nonthreatening atmosphere. |
| Establish a working relationship through continuity of care. | An ongoing relationship establishes trust and a basis for communicating fearful feelings. |
| Orient to the environment as needed. | This promotes comfort and a decrease in fear. |
| Reduce sensory stimulation by maintaining a quiet environment. | Fear may escalate with excessive conversation, noise, and equipment around the patient. |
| Assist patient in identifying strategies used in the past to deal with fearful situations. | This helps patient focus on fear as a real and natural part of life that has been and can continue to be dealt with successfully. |
| As patient's fear subsides, encourage him or her to explore specific events preceding the onset of the fear. | Recognition and explanation of factors leading to fear are significant in developing alternative responses. |
| Encourage rest periods | To improve ability to cope. |
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