Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real LVN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing flashcards as text
A patient on the psychiatric unit threatens to harm another patient. After ensuring immediate safety, the LVN's next action is to:
Answer: Notify the charge nurse and follow the unit's protocol for aggressive behavior
After ensuring immediate safety, the LVN must notify the charge nurse and follow established protocols, which may include seclusion, restraint, or medication orders from the provider.
Which medication is classified as a benzodiazepine and commonly used for acute anxiety?
Answer: Lorazepam (Ativan)
Lorazepam (Ativan) is a benzodiazepine that enhances GABA activity, producing rapid anxiolytic and sedative effects used in acute anxiety.
Which defense mechanism is a patient using when they say, 'I don't drink too much; my wife just exaggerates everything'?
Answer: Denial
Denial involves refusing to acknowledge a painful or threatening reality, as when a person refuses to admit they have a problem with alcohol.
A patient with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reports flashbacks and difficulty sleeping. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?
Answer: Help the patient identify triggers and develop grounding techniques
Identifying triggers and using grounding techniques helps the patient stay present and reduces the intensity of flashbacks and hyperarousal.
An LVN observes a patient stuffing food under the mattress on a psychiatric unit. The most likely explanation for this behavior is:
Answer: The patient is hoarding food due to delusions or paranoia about being poisoned
On psychiatric units, hoarding food is most often related to paranoid delusions about the safety of the food, a common symptom in psychotic disorders.
When caring for a patient in alcohol withdrawal, which symptom indicates the most serious complication requiring immediate intervention?
Answer: Tonic-clonic seizures
Tonic-clonic seizures during alcohol withdrawal (delirium tremens) are life-threatening and require immediate medical intervention including benzodiazepines.
Which therapeutic communication technique is the LVN using when they say, 'It sounds like you're feeling frustrated that no one listens to you'?
Answer: Reflection
Reflection restates the patient's feelings to show understanding and encourage further exploration of emotions.