CPEN Psychosocial Emergencies 4

Question 1

A 17-year-old presents with racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, grandiosity, and risky behavior for the past week. These symptoms are MOST consistent with:

Accepted Answer

A manic episode requiring psychiatric evaluation

Answer

Elevated mood, decreased sleep need, grandiosity, and risky behavior lasting at least a week are hallmark features of a manic episode.

Question 2

A 6-year-old being evaluated for suspected sexual abuse tells the nurse details about the abuse spontaneously. The BEST nursing response is:

Accepted Answer

Listen without interruption, use open-ended prompts, and document the child's exact words

Answer

Using open-ended prompts, listening without leading questions, and documenting exact words preserves the integrity of disclosure for forensic purposes.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about pediatric grief in the ED setting is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

Providing honest, age-appropriate explanations reduces long-term psychological harm

Answer

Age-appropriate honest communication about death supports healthy grief processing and reduces long-term psychological sequelae in children.

Question 4

A nurse suspects that a parent is fabricating symptoms in their 8-year-old, who has had 12 ED visits in the past year for unverifiable complaints. This presentation is concerning for:

Accepted Answer

Medical child abuse (formerly Munchausen syndrome by proxy)

Answer

Repeated ED visits for unverifiable symptoms, with a caregiver who appears to induce or fabricate illness, is the classic pattern of medical child abuse.

Question 5

A 16-year-old presents with paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and disorganized speech that began three weeks ago. After ruling out substance use and medical causes, the nurse anticipates collaboration with psychiatry for which diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Brief psychotic disorder or first-episode psychosis evaluation

Answer

New-onset psychotic symptoms lasting less than a month after medical and substance causes are excluded point to brief psychotic disorder or first-episode psychosis.

CPEN - Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse Practice Test

CPEN - Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse Practice Test

CPEN Psychosocial Emergencies 4