Nokea
A patient who is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder spends a significant amount of time during the day and night washing their hands. On the third hospital day, the patient reports feeling better and more comfortable with the staff and other patients. The psychiatric-mental health nurse knows that the most appropriate nursing intervention is to:
- A. acknowledge the ritualistic behavior each time and point out that it is inappropriate
- B. allow the patient to carry out the ritualistic behavior, since it is helping them
- C. collaborate with the patient to reduce the amount of time they engage in ritualistic behavior
- D. ignore the ritualistic behaviors, and the behaviors will be eliminated due to lack of reinforcement
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Collaborating to reduce rituals builds on the patient's progress, promoting control without enabling the behavior.
You may also like to solve these questions
For those family members who desire to care at home for loved ones who have been given a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, it is important for the nurse to ensure that the family is aware of which caregiver skills and responsibilities will be necessary. What is one of the responsibilities of the caregiver during the middle stage of the disease?
- A. Helping the loved one with memory and communication problems
- B. Providing a stable, routine environment
- C. Providing complete assistance with physical care
- D. Adapting to the changing personality and behavior of the loved one
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Adapting to the changing personality and behavior of the loved one. During the middle stage of Alzheimer's disease, individuals may experience significant changes in personality and behavior. Caregivers need to adapt to these changes by being patient, understanding, and flexible. This responsibility is crucial for maintaining a positive and supportive relationship with the loved one.
A: Helping the loved one with memory and communication problems is important, but it is more relevant in the early stages of the disease when these issues are more prominent.
B: Providing a stable, routine environment is essential throughout all stages of Alzheimer's disease, not just the middle stage.
C: Providing complete assistance with physical care may become necessary in the later stages of the disease when the individual's physical abilities decline significantly.
What is the priority assessment for a patient with bulimia nervosa who is experiencing frequent purging behaviors?
- A. Monitor for signs of electrolyte imbalances and dehydration.
- B. Assess for any weight gain and increase exercise habits.
- C. Encourage the patient to express feelings about food and body image.
- D. Monitor for compulsive eating behaviors and binge episodes.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Monitor for signs of electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. This is the priority assessment for a patient with bulimia nervosa who is experiencing frequent purging behaviors because purging can lead to electrolyte imbalances and dehydration, which can result in serious health complications such as cardiac arrhythmias and renal issues. Monitoring electrolyte levels and hydration status is crucial for the patient's safety and well-being.
Summary:
- Choice B is incorrect because focusing on weight gain and exercise habits is not the priority when dealing with the immediate health risks of electrolyte imbalances and dehydration.
- Choice C is incorrect as expressing feelings about food and body image is important for therapy but not the priority in this acute situation.
- Choice D is incorrect as monitoring for compulsive eating behaviors and binge episodes is more relevant for patients with binge eating disorder rather than bulimia nervosa with frequent purging behaviors.
A patient was admitted to the mental health unit after arguing with co-workers and threatening to kill them. He is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. On the unit he is aloof and suspicious. He mentioned that two physicians he saw talking were plotting to kill him. On the basis of data gathered at this point, which two primary nursing diagnoses should the nurse consider?
- A. Disturbed thought processes and Risk for other-directed violence
- B. Spiritual distress and Social isolation
- C. Risk for loneliness and Knowledge deficit
- D. Disturbed personal identity and Nonadherence
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Disturbed thought processes and Risk for other-directed violence.
1. Disturbed thought processes: The patient's delusions (believing physicians are plotting to kill him) indicate disorganized thinking, a hallmark of paranoid schizophrenia.
2. Risk for other-directed violence: The patient's threatening behavior towards co-workers suggests a potential for violence towards others.
Incorrect choices:
B: Spiritual distress and Social isolation - Not directly related to the patient's current symptoms of paranoid delusions and threat of violence.
C: Risk for loneliness and Knowledge deficit - The patient's issues are more severe than loneliness or knowledge deficit.
D: Disturbed personal identity and Nonadherence - While these issues may be relevant in schizophrenia, they are not the primary concerns presented in this scenario.
The single most common symptom of autism is:
- A. Inability to grasp reality
- B. Impaired social interaction
- C. Acting out behaviors
- D. Diminished affect
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Though all of these behaviors may occur at some time in autism, impaired social interaction is the overriding symptom that occurs in this disorder.
A depressed patient tells the nurse, "The bad things that happen are always my fault." How should the nurse respond to assist the patient to reframe this overgeneralization?
- A. I really doubt that one person can be blamed for all the bad things that happen.
- B. You are being exceptionally hard on yourself when you imply you are a jinx.
- C. What about the good things that happen; are any of those ever your fault?
- D. Let's look at one bad thing that happened to see if another explanation exists.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because it encourages the patient to challenge the overgeneralization by exploring alternative explanations for a specific event. By examining one bad thing in detail, the patient can see that not everything is their fault, promoting a more balanced perspective.
A is incorrect because it simply doubts the patient's statement without providing a constructive way to reframe it. B is incorrect as it introduces the idea of being a jinx, which may further reinforce the patient's negative self-perception. C is incorrect as it diverts the focus to good things, which does not address the patient's negative beliefs about themselves.