1. The patient, the nurse, and organizational variables all interact in a dynamic and complex manner, which all have an impact on decisions about intervention. 2. The numbers and variety of agents ordered as PRN indicate the responsibility for treatment placed by physicians on nurses and their reliance on appropriate and accurate nursing assessment. 3. Much of the stigma surrounding symptoms of anxiety and their treatment is based not only on the nature of the illness, but on the perceptions and beliefs concerning the use of anti-anxiety agents.