NURS 2003 Final Exam TRENT
UNIVERSITY Questions with
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2025-2026
Updated.
Describe some of the language or symptoms that may be associated with stress. - Answer -
anxiety: the person may appear / be expressing nervous or overwhelmed
-irritated: short with people who may be posing as a distraction
-fast speech: potentially related to anxiety
Define stress - Answer A non-specific response of the body to any demand made on it
(SEYLE)
When does stress occur? - Answer occurs with difficulties in dealing with life situations; each
person handles stress differently
When one perceives they cannot adequately cope with the demands that are being used paced
on them OR when their well-being is affected
How is stress defined as a phenomena? - Answer It is UNIVERSAL; there is no concrete way
to measure it & we may all experience it in different ways — SUBJECTIVE
Nursing Tip: check in with patient or their family to find out how they feel when under stress &
how it manifests for them
Outline the theory of stress known as:
STRESS AS A STIMULUS - Answer -social readjustment rating scale
-stress is a STIMULUS that causes a RESPONSE
-theory assumes that frequent changes in life make people more at risk of developing stress and
illness
(HOLMES, RAHE, MASUDA & MILLER)
,What is the pathophysiology behind the STRESS AS A STIMULUS theory? - Answer 1.
CEREBRAL CORTEX: processes the stress stimuli
2.LIMBIC SYSTEM: relays information to the hypothalamus
3. HYPOTHALAMUS: regulates the SNS and PNS; this is the central connection
Explain stress in regard to the theory of STRESS AS A TRANSACTION - Answer -there is a
primary appraisal of this stressor
-if individual perceives the primary appraisal as a stressful and a threat; harm/loss; challenge,
there will be a secondary appraisal
-this is where the coping resources come into play (+ OR -)
Outline the pathophysiology behind the theory of STRESS AS A TRANSAXTJON - Answer 1.
Stressful stimulus
2. Primary appraisal to stress
3. Primary appraisal is determined to be: irrelevant, stressful or benign
4. Individual perceives stimulus as stressful, threat, harm/loss or challenge
5. Secondary appraisal to stress
6. Coping resources
What factors affect one's perception of stress? - Answer Hardiness: the way a person deals
with stress (people with this characteristic tend to cope better with stress)
Sense of coherence: how a person sees the world and one's life. (They have the ability to
separate themselves from the environment; don't allow events happening in the world to have
an affect on them)
Resilience: being resourceful, flexible and using problem solving strategies (able to access
resources to mitigate stress)
Attitude: impacts the way we look at/ approach things
,What is general adaptation syndrome? G.A.S - Answer Three predictable stages the body
uses to respond to stressors:
1. Stage of alarm reaction
2. Stage of resistance
3. Stage of exhaustion
**to remember: "ARRE" ☠️
Outline the sympathoadrenal response - Answer ***refer to the pathophysiology map
provided***
INCREASED SNS ACTIVITY leads to:
Heart ❤️
- ⬆️
HR; ⬆️
stroke volume 🔗 ⬆️
cardiac output
Blood vessels - peripheral vasoconstriction 🔗 ⬆️
SYSTOLIC BP & redistribution of blood to vital
organs
Lungs - ⬆️
resp. rate; shallow breathing
Adrenal Medulla - ⬆️
epi and nor epi 🔗 prolonged SNS response
Liver - glycogenesis 🔗 ⬆️
blood glucose
GI System 💩 - ⬇️
secretions; ⬇️
peristalsis 🔗 ⬇️
digestion
What happens during the stage of alarm reaction? - Answer initial stage in the body's
response to stressful stimuli
characterized by adaptive physiological changes, such as increased hormonal activity and
increased heart rate.
What happens during the stage of resistance? - Answer the body has increased capacity to
respond to the stressor.
, Due to high energetic costs, the body cannot maintain high levels of resistance to stress forever,
and if the stressor persists the body may advance into exhaustion.
What happens during the stage of exhaustion? - Answer this stage can result in physical or
mental breakdown due to the body's inability to cope with the stressor
the goal is to prevent this stage by handling the stressor in the alarm or resistance stage
What does COPD stand for? - Answer Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
What is COPD? What characterizes it? - Answer A common, preventable and treatable
disease characterized by:
- persistent airflow limitation that is typically progressive & associated with an enhanced
inflammatory response to tissue damaging (noxious stimuli) gases which happens in the lungs
and airways
what causes chronic airflow limitation in COPD? - Answer - small airway diseases
(obstructive bronchiolitis)
- parenchymal destruction (emphysema)
what is the result of chronic inflammation? - Answer structural changes and narrowing of
the small airways
What is the result of destruction of the lung parenchyma? - Answer - loss of alveolar
attachments to the smaller airways
- decreases lung elastic recoil
what is the main issue associated with COPD? - Answer a diminished ability for the airway to
remain open during expiration
List some of the risk factors for developing COPD - Answer - smoking and second-hand
smoke
- environmental exposures (chemical dusts, fumes, cooking stoves without proper ventilation)
UNIVERSITY Questions with
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2025-2026
Updated.
Describe some of the language or symptoms that may be associated with stress. - Answer -
anxiety: the person may appear / be expressing nervous or overwhelmed
-irritated: short with people who may be posing as a distraction
-fast speech: potentially related to anxiety
Define stress - Answer A non-specific response of the body to any demand made on it
(SEYLE)
When does stress occur? - Answer occurs with difficulties in dealing with life situations; each
person handles stress differently
When one perceives they cannot adequately cope with the demands that are being used paced
on them OR when their well-being is affected
How is stress defined as a phenomena? - Answer It is UNIVERSAL; there is no concrete way
to measure it & we may all experience it in different ways — SUBJECTIVE
Nursing Tip: check in with patient or their family to find out how they feel when under stress &
how it manifests for them
Outline the theory of stress known as:
STRESS AS A STIMULUS - Answer -social readjustment rating scale
-stress is a STIMULUS that causes a RESPONSE
-theory assumes that frequent changes in life make people more at risk of developing stress and
illness
(HOLMES, RAHE, MASUDA & MILLER)
,What is the pathophysiology behind the STRESS AS A STIMULUS theory? - Answer 1.
CEREBRAL CORTEX: processes the stress stimuli
2.LIMBIC SYSTEM: relays information to the hypothalamus
3. HYPOTHALAMUS: regulates the SNS and PNS; this is the central connection
Explain stress in regard to the theory of STRESS AS A TRANSACTION - Answer -there is a
primary appraisal of this stressor
-if individual perceives the primary appraisal as a stressful and a threat; harm/loss; challenge,
there will be a secondary appraisal
-this is where the coping resources come into play (+ OR -)
Outline the pathophysiology behind the theory of STRESS AS A TRANSAXTJON - Answer 1.
Stressful stimulus
2. Primary appraisal to stress
3. Primary appraisal is determined to be: irrelevant, stressful or benign
4. Individual perceives stimulus as stressful, threat, harm/loss or challenge
5. Secondary appraisal to stress
6. Coping resources
What factors affect one's perception of stress? - Answer Hardiness: the way a person deals
with stress (people with this characteristic tend to cope better with stress)
Sense of coherence: how a person sees the world and one's life. (They have the ability to
separate themselves from the environment; don't allow events happening in the world to have
an affect on them)
Resilience: being resourceful, flexible and using problem solving strategies (able to access
resources to mitigate stress)
Attitude: impacts the way we look at/ approach things
,What is general adaptation syndrome? G.A.S - Answer Three predictable stages the body
uses to respond to stressors:
1. Stage of alarm reaction
2. Stage of resistance
3. Stage of exhaustion
**to remember: "ARRE" ☠️
Outline the sympathoadrenal response - Answer ***refer to the pathophysiology map
provided***
INCREASED SNS ACTIVITY leads to:
Heart ❤️
- ⬆️
HR; ⬆️
stroke volume 🔗 ⬆️
cardiac output
Blood vessels - peripheral vasoconstriction 🔗 ⬆️
SYSTOLIC BP & redistribution of blood to vital
organs
Lungs - ⬆️
resp. rate; shallow breathing
Adrenal Medulla - ⬆️
epi and nor epi 🔗 prolonged SNS response
Liver - glycogenesis 🔗 ⬆️
blood glucose
GI System 💩 - ⬇️
secretions; ⬇️
peristalsis 🔗 ⬇️
digestion
What happens during the stage of alarm reaction? - Answer initial stage in the body's
response to stressful stimuli
characterized by adaptive physiological changes, such as increased hormonal activity and
increased heart rate.
What happens during the stage of resistance? - Answer the body has increased capacity to
respond to the stressor.
, Due to high energetic costs, the body cannot maintain high levels of resistance to stress forever,
and if the stressor persists the body may advance into exhaustion.
What happens during the stage of exhaustion? - Answer this stage can result in physical or
mental breakdown due to the body's inability to cope with the stressor
the goal is to prevent this stage by handling the stressor in the alarm or resistance stage
What does COPD stand for? - Answer Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
What is COPD? What characterizes it? - Answer A common, preventable and treatable
disease characterized by:
- persistent airflow limitation that is typically progressive & associated with an enhanced
inflammatory response to tissue damaging (noxious stimuli) gases which happens in the lungs
and airways
what causes chronic airflow limitation in COPD? - Answer - small airway diseases
(obstructive bronchiolitis)
- parenchymal destruction (emphysema)
what is the result of chronic inflammation? - Answer structural changes and narrowing of
the small airways
What is the result of destruction of the lung parenchyma? - Answer - loss of alveolar
attachments to the smaller airways
- decreases lung elastic recoil
what is the main issue associated with COPD? - Answer a diminished ability for the airway to
remain open during expiration
List some of the risk factors for developing COPD - Answer - smoking and second-hand
smoke
- environmental exposures (chemical dusts, fumes, cooking stoves without proper ventilation)
