NCLEX-RN
NCLEX Psychosocial Integrity Questions
1. Which response would the nurse make at lunchtime to a client who is sitting alone with the head slightly tilted as if listening to something?
- A. "I know you're busy, but it's lunchtime."
- B. "Are the voices bothering you again?"
- C. "Get going; you don't want to miss lunchtime."
- D. "It's lunchtime; I'll walk with you to the dining room."
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The statement, "It's lunchtime; I'll walk with you to the dining room," demonstrates setting limits and providing support. Hallucinations can be frightening, and the nurse's presence offers support and reality without focusing on the hallucination directly. Choice A, "I know you're busy, but it's lunchtime," does not recognize the client's need for support and direction. Choice B, "Are the voices bothering you again?", makes a judgment without sufficient evidence and overly focuses on the hallucination, failing to address the client's need for support and direction. Choice C, "Get going; you don't want to miss lunchtime," does not acknowledge the client's need for reality, support, and direction, and may come across as threatening.
2. Which action often triggers an episode of violence or aggression in a patient with a psychiatric diagnosis involving violent behavior?
- A. Obtaining a history
- B. Asking for input into care
- C. Enforcing rules
- D. Taking a walk
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Enforcing rules is often a trigger for patients with psychiatric diagnoses involving violent behavior. Limit-setting or denying patient demands can be perceived as control and intimidation, leading to aggressive responses. Nursing staff must respond calmly and professionally to prevent escalation. Avoiding such patients or matching their emotions can worsen the situation. Therefore, enforcing rules can provoke violent episodes in these patients.
3. An increase in the neurotransmitter dopamine is associated with which of the following illnesses?
- A. Schizophrenia
- B. Depression
- C. Alzheimer's disease
- D. Anxiety
Correct answer: A
Rationale: An increase in the neurotransmitter dopamine is associated with schizophrenia. Dopamine dysregulation is linked to some symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. Depression (choice B) is more commonly associated with abnormalities in serotonin and norepinephrine. Alzheimer's disease (choice C) is primarily characterized by deficits in acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters. Anxiety disorders (choice D) are often linked to imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA, rather than dopamine.
4. After attending group therapy, the client says, 'It helps to know that I'm not the only one with this type of problem.' Which concept does this statement reflect?
- A. Altruism
- B. Catharsis
- C. Universality
- D. Transference
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The client's statement reflects the concept of universality. Universality in group therapy signifies the understanding that one is not alone in their struggles, providing a sense of commonality and support among group members facing similar challenges. Altruism in group therapy involves offering support, insight, and encouragement to others, fostering personal growth and self-awareness. Catharsis pertains to group members sharing and expressing both negative and positive emotions with each other. Transference occurs when a client inadvertently projects feelings and perceptions onto the therapist that originally belonged to someone significant in their past, impacting the therapeutic relationship.
5. Which signs and symptoms would the nurse observe in a client with schizophrenia?
- A. Traumatic flashbacks and hypervigilance
- B. Depression and psychomotor retardation
- C. Loosened associations and hallucinations
- D. Ritualistic behavior and obsessive thinking
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In clients with schizophrenia, the nurse would observe loosened associations and hallucinations. Loosened associations refer to disorganized thinking where thoughts are not logically connected. Hallucinations involve perceiving things that are not based in reality. Traumatic flashbacks and hypervigilance are more indicative of post-traumatic stress disorder. Depression and psychomotor retardation are common in depression, not schizophrenia. Ritualistic behavior and obsessive thinking are typically seen in obsessive-compulsive disorders, not schizophrenia.
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