Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real RPN 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 and Psychiatric Nursing flashcards as text
A client with schizophrenia has been stable on risperidone for two years and now shows involuntary, repetitive facial movements. The nurse recognizes this as:
Answer: Tardive dyskinesia
Tardive dyskinesia is a late-onset, potentially irreversible movement disorder caused by long-term antipsychotic use, characterized by involuntary repetitive movements especially of the face and mouth.
A client refuses psychiatric medication citing personal beliefs. The nurse's most appropriate action is to:
Answer: Document the refusal, inform the prescriber, and continue to respect the client's right to refuse
Competent clients have the legal and ethical right to refuse treatment; the nurse must document the refusal, notify the prescriber, and respect autonomy while continuing to monitor the client.
Which component is included in a comprehensive Mental Status Examination (MSE)?
Answer: Appearance, behavior, mood, affect, thought process, cognition, and insight
The MSE is a structured psychiatric assessment covering appearance, behavior, speech, mood, affect, thought process and content, perceptions, cognition, insight, and judgment.
A client with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is triggered in the unit and begins to dissociate. What is the nurse's immediate intervention?
Answer: Use a calm, steady voice and simple grounding techniques such as the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory method
Grounding techniques reconnect the client to the present moment during dissociation; speaking calmly and guiding sensory awareness is safe, effective, and non-pharmacological.
Which neurotransmitter deficiency is most closely associated with major depressive disorder?
Answer: Serotonin deficiency
Depression is most strongly associated with deficiencies in serotonin (and norepinephrine), which is the basis for SSRI and SNRI pharmacotherapy.
A client in alcohol withdrawal is at risk for seizures. Which medication is most commonly used to prevent withdrawal seizures?
Answer: Lorazepam (Ativan)
Benzodiazepines such as lorazepam are the first-line treatment for alcohol withdrawal, preventing seizures by enhancing GABA inhibitory activity to counteract CNS hyperexcitability.
A nurse is performing a suicide risk assessment. Which factor represents the HIGHEST risk for a completed suicide attempt?
Answer: A specific plan with access to a lethal method
The presence of a specific, detailed plan combined with access to a lethal means significantly elevates the risk for a completed suicide and requires immediate intervention.
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