NCLEX-RN
NCLEX Psychosocial Questions
1. The nurse is performing an admission assessment for a non-English speaking patient who is from China. Which actions could the nurse take to enhance communication (select one that does not apply)?
- A. Use an electronic translation application.
- B. Use a telephone-based medical interpreter.
- C. Wait until an agency interpreter is available.
- D. Ask the patient's teenage daughter to interpret.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Electronic translation applications, telephone-based medical interpreters, and agency interpreters are all appropriate tools to enhance communication with non-English-speaking patients. However, asking the patient's teenage daughter to interpret is not recommended due to potential misinterpretation of crucial information during the admission assessment. While family members may be considered in the absence of a professional interpreter, there is a risk of misunderstanding or lack of sharing essential details. It is important to rely on trained interpreters to ensure accurate communication and avoid miscommunication or misinterpretation of critical information. Using gestures can be helpful, but over-exaggeration of gestures is unnecessary and may lead to confusion.
2. Identify the type of 'trigger' with the correct 'trigger' that can possibly lead to disturbed behavior.
- A. Emotional: room coldness
- B. Environmental: boredom
- C. Physical: pain
- D. Communication: silence
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Physical pain is a common trigger that can lead to disturbed behavior in individuals, especially when they are unable to communicate their pain effectively. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Room coldness falls under environmental triggers, boredom is associated with emotional triggers, and silence is a communication aspect rather than a direct trigger for disturbed behavior.
3. While conducting an intake assessment of an adult male at a community mental health clinic, the nurse notes that his affect is flat, he responds to questions with short answers, and he reports problems with sleeping. He reports that his life partner recently died from pneumonia. Which action is most important for the nurse to implement?
- A. Encourage the client to see the clinic's grief counselor.
- B. Determine if the client has a family history of suicide attempts.
- C. Inquire about whether the life partner was suffering from AIDS.
- D. Consult with the health care provider about the client's need for antidepressant medications.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The client is exhibiting normal grieving behaviors, so referral to a grief counselor is the most important intervention for the nurse to implement. Option B is relevant but is not a high-priority intervention compared to addressing the immediate grief support needs of the client. Option C is irrelevant at this time but might be important when determining the client's risk for contracting the illness. While antidepressant medication might be necessary based on further assessment, grief counseling is a more appropriate initial action as grief is a typical response to the loss of a loved one.
4. Which of the following is an example of passive aggression?
- A. Clenched fists
- B. Yelling
- C. Jealousy
- D. Intimidation
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Passive aggression involves expressing negative feelings indirectly, such as through subtle actions or behaviors. While choices A, B, and D involve more direct and aggressive expressions of anger, jealousy is an example of passive aggression where negative emotions are subtly displayed without openly confronting the issue. Jealousy can manifest as resentment, envy, or possessiveness, and is a common form of passive aggression in interpersonal relationships.
5. 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.
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