A nurse in an outpatient clinic is assessing a child, and the nurse will interview the child and the child?s parents separately. Which of the following comments would the nurse anticipate the child making during the upcoming interview?
- A. I can?t get along with my parents.
- B. I yell at my parents a lot.
- C. I?m sad a lot, and I have trouble sleeping.
- D. I refuse to do what my parents tell me to.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Sadness and sleep issues (C) are common psychological symptoms in children that may be expressed in a clinical setting, especially given school behavior concerns. Parent conflict (A, B, D) may be reported, but sadness and sleep issues are more directly tied to internal distress.
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A nurse is preparing to assess a 9-year-old child who has been sexually abused. Which of the following would be the priority for the nurse?
- A. Finding out when the abuse occurred
- B. Documenting the assessment for use in court
- C. Using anatomically correct dolls to elicit information
- D. Ensuring that the environment is safe and supportive
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ensuring a safe and supportive environment (D) is the priority to reduce trauma and build trust during assessment. Timing (A), documentation (B), and dolls (C) are secondary to creating a secure setting for the child.
After completing the mental status assessment of a 9-year-old boy, the nurse documents the findings. Which of the following would the nurse document as reflecting the child?s motor activity? Select all that apply.
- A. Favorite story, Huckleberry Finn
- B. Short attention span
- C. Hyperalertness
- D. Went to the park last weekend
- E. Nail biting
- F. History of temper tantrums
Correct Answer: B,C,E,F
Rationale: Motor activity includes short attention span (B), hyperalertness (C), nail biting (E), and temper tantrums (F), as they reflect observable behaviors. Favorite story (A) and park visits (D) are not motor-related.
A nurse is performing an assessment interview of a 14-year-old boy who is being admitted to an adolescent substance abuse unit. His parents are concerned about their son?s repeated problems at school that they associate with his drug use. The boy stalks into the office, abruptly sits down, crosses his arms, and says, Okay, ask your stupid questions, but don?t expect me to cooperate! Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Your attitude is offensive; I can see why your parents brought you here.
- B. Why don?t we wait until you?ve calmed down a bit to start the interview?
- C. Why are you so angry?
- D. You seem pretty upset. Tell me about what is upsetting you.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Acknowledging the adolescent?s upset feelings and inviting discussion (D) validates emotions and encourages engagement. Criticizing attitude (A) alienates, delaying the interview (B) dismisses the moment, and questioning anger (C) may feel confrontational.
A nurse is preparing to complete a mental status examination of an adolescent who is experiencing behavioral problems at school. When assessing the adolescent?s thought processes, which of the following would the nurse need to keep in mind about this age group? Select all that apply.
- A. View of things in a concrete manner
- B. Ability to look at things hypothetically
- C. Beginning ability to use logic
- D. Ability to use abstract thinking
- E. Difficulty in putting feelings into words
Correct Answer: B,C,D,E
Rationale: Adolescents develop hypothetical thinking (B), logical reasoning (C), abstract thinking (D), and often struggle to verbalize feelings (E). Concrete thinking (A) is more typical of younger children.
A child and the child?s family visit a psychiatric outpatient setting because the parent is concerned about the child?s behavior at school. The child scores 65 on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. The nurse interprets this finding as which of the following?
- A. The child requires inpatient therapy.
- B. The child is experiencing homicidal thoughts.
- C. The child is functioning well in the area of school.
- D. The child can be treated effectively as an outpatient.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A GAF score of 65 indicates mild symptoms with generally good functioning, suggesting outpatient treatment (D) is appropriate. Inpatient therapy (A) is for lower scores, homicidal thoughts (B) are not indicated by this score, and school functioning (C) is not specifically supported.
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