Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) Practice Exam

What describes a nurse who expresses vigorous support for management after being denied a merit increase?

1. Identification

2. Reaction formation

3. Sublimation

4. Rationalization

The correct answer is: Reaction formation

The concept of reaction formation is defined as a psychological defense mechanism where an individual responds to an uncomfortable or painful feeling by expressing the opposite emotion or behavior. In this scenario, the nurse, feeling rejected after being denied a merit increase, might unconsciously suppress feelings of disappointment or frustration. Instead of expressing those negative feelings outwardly, the nurse channels them into excessive support for management, creating a façade of positivity and loyalty. This behavior serves as a protective measure to avoid confronting the underlying pain of the denial—by acting in a manner that suggests satisfaction and support, the nurse is counteracting genuine feelings of resentment or anger. The behavior reflects an inner conflict, leading to a display of enthusiasm or allegiance that masks true emotions. While other concepts like identification, sublimation, and rationalization involve different mechanisms of coping or expressing emotions, they do not align as well with the scenario described. Identification involves adopting characteristics of someone else, sublimation refers to channeling negative emotions into socially acceptable activities, and rationalization involves offering logical explanations for emotional reactions. In this case, the vigorous support for management after the denial most clearly exemplifies reaction formation.