A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department (ED) after losing consciousness during class. Her vital signs are: blood pressure 95/68 mm Hg, heart rate 112 bpm, and oxygen saturation 95% on room air. She weighs 78 pounds. She confides in the nurse saying, “I am so scared of being fat. It controls me. I have not eaten in three days.” Which disorder does the nurse suspect in this patient?

Question

A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department (ED) after losing consciousness during class. Her vital signs are: blood pressure 95/68 mm Hg, heart rate 112 bpm, and oxygen saturation 95% on room air. She weighs 78 pounds. She confides in the nurse saying, &ldquo;I am so scared of being fat. It controls me. I have not eaten in three days.&rdquo; Which disorder does the nurse suspect in this patient?

Accepted Answer

Anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is self-induced starvation resulting from a psychological fear of fatness. Pica is an eating disorder characterized by an urge to consume non-food or non-nutritive substances, such as ice, hair, or paper. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodic binge eating followed by a form of purging, such as self-induced vomiting or excessive use of laxatives. Orthorexia nervosa includes obsessive behaviors in pursuit of a healthy diet and systematically avoiding foods which one believes to be harmful.

Want help? View the answer with rationale.

Rationale

Additional Psychosocial Integrity Questions

Nursing Careers

Nursing Degrees

NCLEX