Age Specific Care Competency

Age Specific Care Competency Related

Review Age Specific Care Competency related questions and content

The nurse manager of a mental health center wants to improve medication adherence among the seriously mentally ill persons treated there. Which interventions are likely to help achieve this goal? Select one tha does not apply

  • A. Maintain stable and consistent staff
  • B. Increase the length of medication education groups
  • C. Stress that without treatment, illnesses will worsen
  • D. Prescribe drugs in smaller but more frequent dosages
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Trust in ones providers is a key factor in treatment adherence, and mentally ill persons can sometimes take a very long time to develop such trust; therefore, interventions which stabilize staffing allow patients to have more time with staff to develop these bonds. Ready access to prescribers allows medicine-related concerns to be addressed quickly, reducing obstacles to adherence such as side effects or ineffective dosages. Medication costs can be obstacles to adherence as well. Many SMI patients have anosognosia and do not adhere to treatment because they believe they are not ill, so telling them nonadherence will worsen an illness they do not believe they have is unlikely to be helpful. Increasing medication education is helpful only when the cause of nonadherence is a knowledge deficit. Other issues that reduce adherence, particularly anosognosia and side effects, are seldom helped by longer medication education. Requiring medication adherence to participate in other programs is coercive and unethical. Smaller, more frequent doses do not reduce side effects and make the regimen more difficult for the patient to remember.

You may also like to solve these questions

A community mental health nurse receives a new client for his caseload. The diagnosis of the client is residual schizophrenia. Documentation states that the client has a number of negative symptoms. Which symptom would the nurse expect to assess in the client?

  • A. Bizarre, somatic delusions
  • B. Disorganized speech pattern
  • C. Catatonic posturing
  • D. Emotional blunting
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Emotional blunting. In residual schizophrenia, negative symptoms are prominent, including emotional blunting which refers to a reduced ability to express emotions. This is commonly seen in clients with residual schizophrenia.

Explanation of why other choices are incorrect:
A: Bizarre, somatic delusions are characteristic of paranoid schizophrenia, not residual schizophrenia.
B: Disorganized speech pattern is a symptom of disorganized schizophrenia, not residual schizophrenia.
C: Catatonic posturing is associated with catatonic schizophrenia, not residual schizophrenia.

A client with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder seeks treatment for depression after the recent breakup of a relationship. The client constantly procrastinated about proposing marriage and said his girlfriend complained that he did not show her affection and that he was too controlling. Now he describes inability to sleep, poor concentration, and loss of energy since the breakup. Which outcome is a priority for the client? The client will:

  • A. Demonstrate assertive behavior
  • B. Express hope for developing a new relationship in the future
  • C. Identify feelings of sadness related to the failed relationship
  • D. List three new ways to reduce stress
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rationale: The correct answer is C: Identify feelings of sadness related to the failed relationship. This is the priority outcome because the client is experiencing symptoms of depression following the breakup, such as insomnia, poor concentration, and loss of energy. By identifying and processing the feelings of sadness related to the failed relationship, the client can begin to work through the grief and start the healing process.

Summary:
A: Demonstrating assertive behavior may be beneficial for the client in the long term but is not the priority at this stage when dealing with depression.
B: Expressing hope for a new relationship may provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying issues of depression and unresolved feelings from the breakup.
D: Listing new ways to reduce stress is important for overall well-being but does not address the primary concern of processing feelings of sadness and grief related to the failed relationship.

Which of the following is a critical aspect of nursing care for patients with anorexia nervosa?

  • A. Encouraging weight loss to avoid complications from obesity.
  • B. Promoting normalization of eating habits and nutritional rehabilitation.
  • C. Restricting fluid intake to reduce risk of water retention.
  • D. Avoiding any pressure for the patient to gain weight rapidly.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Promoting normalization of eating habits and nutritional rehabilitation. This is critical in anorexia nervosa treatment to address malnutrition and restore a healthy relationship with food. Encouraging weight loss (A) is inappropriate as these patients are already underweight. Restricting fluid intake (C) can worsen dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Avoiding pressure for rapid weight gain (D) is important, but the primary focus should be on promoting healthy eating habits and gradual weight restoration. By focusing on normalization of eating habits and nutritional rehabilitation, nurses can help patients with anorexia nervosa recover physically and mentally.

Marie is 16 years old. She has been referred to the clinic by the nurse at her school because she started a fight with a younger girl and hurt her badly. The school nurse reports that Marie has been troublesome beforeskipping school, bullying, and smoking on school grounds on several occasions. Of the following, which diagnosis is most likely?

  • A. Bipolar depression
  • B. Paranoid schizophrenia
  • C. Conduct disorder
  • D. Dysthymic disorder
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Conduct disorder is characterized by a pattern of aggressive behavior and violating the rights of others, including defiance and rule breaking. The other responses are psychiatric disorders that would not be the most likely diagnosis given Maries behavior.

A nurse is caring for a patient with bulimia nervosa who has not eaten for 24 hours. The nurse should first:

  • A. Encourage the patient to eat a full meal immediately.
  • B. Assess the patient's vital signs and hydration status.
  • C. Provide the patient with a menu to select food for the next meal.
  • D. Contact the physician for a medication prescription.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because assessing vital signs and hydration status is crucial in identifying potential complications from prolonged fasting in a patient with bulimia nervosa. This step helps determine the patient's immediate needs for intervention and guides further care planning. Encouraging the patient to eat a full meal immediately (Choice A) may lead to refeeding syndrome due to electrolyte imbalances. Providing a menu for the next meal (Choice C) is not the priority when the patient has not eaten for 24 hours. Contacting the physician for a medication prescription (Choice D) is not necessary at this point without first assessing the patient's current physical status.

Copyright © 2025 Nokea. All rights reserved.