A car was stuck on a busy interstate highway, causing it to accelerate rapidly and become difficult to control for 20 minutes. Months after this experience, which assessment finding would the nurse expect?

Choice A reason: Weight gain is not a typical symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress response. It may occur due to other factors but is not directly linked to trauma. Choice B reason: Flashbacks are a hallmark symptom of PTSD. They involve reliving the traumatic event with vivid sensory and emotional recall, often triggered by reminders of the incident. Choice C reason: Headaches may occur after trauma, especially if there was physical injury or stress, but they are not as specific or diagnostic as flashbacks in this context.