The nurse finds a client who is pacing, sweating, and shouting that they cannot breathe, with a pounding heart. The client appears to be having a panic attack. Which action should the nurse take first?

1. 1Leave the client alone to calm down
2. 2Teach the client about stress management techniques
3. 3Stay with the client and use a calm, reassuring approach
4. 4Ask the client to complete a screening questionnaire

Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Mental Health Conditions: Treatment of Anxiety Disorders. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.