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A client diagnosed with bipolar disorder and experiencing mania is admitted to the inpatient psychiatric setting. During the acute phase of mania, which medication would the nurse expect to most likely administer?
- A. Lithium carbonate (Lithium)
- B. Haloperidol lactate (Haldol)
- C. Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- D. Paroxetine (Paxil)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Haloperidol (B), a typical antipsychotic, is commonly used in acute mania to rapidly control severe agitation, impulsivity, and psychotic symptoms due to its fast-acting nature. Lithium (A) is effective for long-term mood stabilization but slower in acute mania. Fluoxetine (C) and paroxetine (D), SSRIs, are used for depression, not mania, and may worsen manic symptoms.
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A nurse is developing a presentation for families who have members that have been diagnosed with bipolar disorders. When describing this condition to the group, which of the following would the nurse most likely include?
- A. As the person ages, the episodes tend to decrease over time.
- B. Environmental stressors are a key cause of these disorders.
- C. The risk for suicide is high with either depression or mania.
- D. Risk-taking behaviors are more common with a depressive episode.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Bipolar disorder carries a high suicide risk during both depressive and manic episodes (C), due to despair in depression and impulsivity in mania. Episodes often persist or worsen with age (A), stressors (B) are triggers but not primary causes, and risk-taking is more common in mania, not depression (D).
A client with bipolar disorder having experienced a depressive episode is prescribed lamotrigine. After teaching the client about this medication, the nurse determines that the teaching was successful when the client states which of the following?
- A. I need to notify my physician if I develop a skin rash.
- B. I need to have my blood tested about once a month.
- C. I need to watch how much salt I use every day.
- D. This drug can affect my liver function.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Lamotrigine (A) carries a risk of serious skin rashes, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, requiring immediate reporting. Blood testing (B) is not routine for lamotrigine, salt intake (C) is irrelevant, and liver function (D) is less commonly affected compared to other mood stabilizers.
A client with bipolar disorder is receiving divalproex sodium as part of the treatment plan. When monitoring the client?s blood level for this drug, which level would alert the nurse to the need to change the dosage?
- A. 30 ng/mL
- B. 55 ng/mL
- C. 75 ng/mL
- D. 115 ng/mL
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The therapeutic range for divalproex sodium (valproic acid) is 50?100 µg/mL (often reported as ng/mL in some contexts). A level of 115 ng/mL (D) is above this range, indicating potential toxicity and the need for dosage reduction. Levels of 30, 55, and 75 ng/mL (A, B, C) are below or within the therapeutic range.
A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a female client with bipolar disorder who is experiencing acute mania. Which of the following would be most appropriate for the nurse to do?
- A. Tell the client firmly that she must take her medication.
- B. Allow the client to participate in the treatment decision.
- C. Restrain the client before administering the medication.
- D. Notify the physician about the client?s refusal of the medication.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Allowing the client to participate in treatment decisions (B) fosters autonomy and therapeutic alliance, appropriate unless the client is too impaired to decide. Firm insistence (A) may escalate agitation, restraint (C) is a last resort, and notifying the physician (D) assumes refusal prematurely.
A client asks the nurse if he needs to alter any of his activities because he is taking lithium carbonate. Which of the following responses would be most appropriate?
- A. Increase your salt intake if an activity causes you to perspire heavily.
- B. Wear sunscreen when you are going to be outdoors in the summer time.
- C. Drink less fluid than usual now because you are taking this drug.
- D. No changes are necessary for strenuous activities you do outdoors.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Lithium levels can increase to toxic levels with dehydration from heavy perspiration, as sodium loss affects lithium excretion. Increasing salt intake (A) during such activities helps maintain safe lithium levels. Sunscreen (B) is unrelated, reducing fluid (C) risks toxicity, and no changes (D) ignores the risk of dehydration.