NCLEX-RN
NCLEX Psychosocial Questions
1. The nurse plans care for a hospitalized patient who uses culturally based treatments. Which action by the nurse is best?
- A. Encourage the use of diagnostic procedures.
- B. Coordinate the use of folk treatments with ordered medical therapies.
- C. Ask the patient to discontinue the cultural treatments during hospitalization.
- D. Teach the patient that folk remedies will interfere with orders by the healthcare provider.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The best action for the nurse is to coordinate the use of folk treatments with ordered medical therapies. Many culturally based therapies can complement Western treatments and medications. It is essential for the nurse to integrate both traditional folk treatments and Western therapies to provide holistic care. Some culturally based treatments can effectively complement Western medicine in treating diseases. Encouraging the patient to continue some culturally based treatments during hospitalization can enhance their overall well-being. Asking the patient to discontinue cultural treatments or teaching that folk remedies interfere with Western therapies may not align with the patient's beliefs and could hinder their care.
2. During her shift at the hospital, a nurse receives a stern reprimand from a physician over something over which she had no control. The nurse does not respond. When she returns home that evening, she sees her children's toys all over the floor, gets mad, and begins to yell at them. Which form of defense mechanism is this nurse using?
- A. Symbolization
- B. Suppression
- C. Displacement
- D. Projection
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Displacement is the process of redirecting feelings or impulses from one person to another. In this scenario, the nurse chose not to respond to the physician, but instead displaced her negative emotions onto her children, who are less threatening and more vulnerable. This defense mechanism allowed her to express her anger in a safer outlet. Symbolization involves representing unconscious feelings or impulses through symbols, not redirecting them. Suppression is the conscious effort to push unwanted thoughts or feelings out of awareness, not displacing them onto others. Projection involves attributing one's thoughts or emotions to someone else, which is not evident in this case.
3. What nonverbal action should the nurse implement to demonstrate active listening?
- A. Sit facing the client.
- B. Cross arms and legs.
- C. Avoid eye contact.
- D. Lean back in the chair.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Active listening is effectively demonstrated through attentive verbal and nonverbal communication strategies. To convey active listening and show the client that the nurse is engaged and attentive, it is essential for the nurse to sit facing the client. This posture communicates openness and willingness to listen. Option B, crossing arms and legs, creates a barrier and can signal defensiveness or disinterest, making it an incorrect choice. Option C, avoiding eye contact, hinders the establishment of a connection and can convey disengagement. Option D, leaning back in the chair, may give the impression of disinterest or lack of engagement. Therefore, maintaining eye contact and sitting facing the client are crucial nonverbal actions to exhibit active listening and promote effective therapeutic communication.
4. For a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which reaction is most likely to occur when the performance of a ritual is interrupted?
- A. Anxiety
- B. Hostility
- C. Aggression
- D. Withdrawal
Correct answer: A
Rationale: When a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder is interrupted while performing a ritual, the most likely reaction is anxiety. The compulsive ritual serves as a coping mechanism to control anxiety, so any disruption to this ritual can heighten the individual's anxiety levels. Hostility is typically part of the disorder itself and not a direct reaction to the interruption of the ritual. Aggression may occur only if anxiety escalates to a panic level, leading to overt anger expression. Withdrawal is not a common behavioral pattern associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and is not a typical reaction to ritual interruption.
5. A woman who had a mastectomy is scheduled for a mastectomy peer support visit arranged by her primary health care provider. What is the purpose of the referral?
- A. To teach arm exercises
- B. To prevent social isolation
- C. To meet her physical needs
- D. To view her surgical incision
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The purpose of a mastectomy peer support visit is to prevent social isolation. This visit helps the client maintain her social connections and learn about community resources. Teaching arm exercises and meeting physical needs are tasks for healthcare professionals, not the primary goal of a peer support visit. Viewing the surgical incision is also not the primary purpose of such a visit.
Similar Questions
Access More Features
NCLEX RN Basic
$69.99/ 30 days
- 5,000 Questions with answers
- Comprehensive NCLEX coverage
- 30 days access
NCLEX RN Premium
$149.99/ 90 days
- 5,000 Questions with answers
- Comprehensive NCLEX coverage
- 30 days access