Nursing Elites

1. A client goes to the mental health center for difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and nightmares. The client reports being raped as a child. The nurse should assess the client for further signs of:

• A. generalized anxiety disorder.
• B. schizophrenia.
• C. post-traumatic stress disorder.
• D. bipolar disorder.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Given the history of childhood sexual abuse and the presenting symptoms of difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and nightmares, the nurse should assess the client for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Childhood sexual abuse is strongly associated with adult-onset depression and an increased risk for PTSD. Individuals with PTSD may exhibit re-experiencing symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened reactions to trauma triggers. They may also display emotional numbing, avoidance behaviors, and increased arousal symptoms like difficulty sleeping and hypervigilance. Generalized anxiety disorder (Choice A) is characterized by excessive worry and anxiety about various events or activities, not necessarily tied to a specific trauma. Schizophrenia (Choice B) is a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, and behavior, unrelated to the traumatic event described. Bipolar disorder (Choice D) involves mood swings between depressive and manic episodes, and its symptoms differ from those typically seen in PTSD.

2. In performing a psychosocial assessment, the nurse begins by asking questions that encourage the client to describe problematic behaviors and situations. The next step is to elicit the client's

• A. feelings about what has been described.
• B. thoughts about what has been described.
• C. possible solutions to the problem.
• D. intent in sharing the description.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In performing a psychosocial assessment, the nurse follows a structured approach, starting with encouraging the client to describe problematic behaviors and situations. The next step is to elicit the client's thoughts about what has been described. This step helps gather more assessment data and understand how the client interprets the situation. Asking about feelings, exploring possible solutions, and understanding the client's intent in sharing the description are more complex processes that come later in the assessment. Therefore, the correct next step after describing behaviors and situations is to inquire about the client's thoughts.

3. How can the nurse best communicate to a client that he or she has been listening?

• A. restating the main feeling or thought the client has expressed
• B. making a judgment about the client's problem
• C. offering a leading question such as, 'And then what happened?'
• D. saying, 'I understand what you're saying.'

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The best way for the nurse to communicate to a client that he or she has been listening is by restating the main feeling or thought the client has expressed. Restating helps the client validate the nurse's understanding of the communication, demonstrating active listening skills. Making judgments about the client's problem, as suggested in Choice B, can hinder effective communication by introducing bias and potential misinterpretation. Offering a leading question like in Choice C is not ideal for confirming understanding; it rather seeks more information. Choice D, simply saying 'I understand what you're saying,' may not convey active listening as effectively as restating the client's main feelings or thoughts, as it lacks the validation component present in restating.

4. Narrow therapeutic index medications:

• A. are drug formulations with limited pharmacokinetic variability.
• B. have limited value and require no monitoring of blood levels.
• C. have less than a twofold difference in minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood
• D. have limited potency and side effects.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The therapeutic index is the ratio between the median lethal dose and median effective dose of a drug, indicating the safety margin. Narrow therapeutic index medications have a small difference between minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood, making them high-risk drugs that require close monitoring to avoid toxicity. Choice A is incorrect because pharmacokinetics refer to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination, not the therapeutic index. Choice B is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs necessitate monitoring due to their narrow margin of safety. Choice D is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs do not necessarily have limited potency but are characterized by a small window between efficacy and toxicity.

5. The physician prescribes captopril (Capoten) 25mg po tid for the client with hypertension. Which of the following adverse reactions can occur with administration of Capoten?

• A. Tinnitus
• B. Persistent cough
• C. Muscle weakness
• D. Diarrhea

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A persistent cough might be related to an adverse reaction to captopril (Capoten). Tinnitus (choice A) and diarrhea (choice D) are not commonly associated adverse reactions of captopril. Muscle weakness (choice C) might occur initially but is not considered a common adverse effect of captopril. Therefore, the correct answer is B, persistent cough, as it is a known adverse reaction to captopril.

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