NCLEX-RN
Psychosocial Integrity NCLEX PN Questions
1. A client with untreatable metastasized cancer tells the nurse, 'I think they made a mistake. I don't think I have cancer. I feel too good to be dying.' Which stage of grief is the client experiencing?
- A. Anger
- B. Denial
- C. Bargaining
- D. Acceptance
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The client is experiencing the stage of denial. This is evident as the client is having difficulty accepting the reality of their diagnosis and denies the presence of cancer despite the evidence. During the anger stage, the individual expresses anger about their situation, questioning why it is happening to them. Bargaining involves attempting to negotiate for more time or a different outcome, acknowledging the reality of death but trying to delay it. Acceptance, on the other hand, is characterized by coming to terms with the inevitability of death and preparing for it peacefully. Therefore, in this scenario, the client's disbelief and refusal to accept the diagnosis align with the denial stage of grief.
2. A client who is in a late stage of pancreatic cancer intellectually understands the terminal nature of the illness. Which behaviors indicate the client is emotionally accepting the impending death?
- A. Revising the client's will and planning a visit to a friend
- B. Alternating between crying and talking openly about death
- C. Seeking second, third, and fourth medical opinions
- D. Refusing to follow treatments and stating they won't help anyway
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Revising the will and planning a visit to a friend are indicative of emotional acceptance of impending death as they demonstrate realistic, productive, and constructive ways of using the remaining time. Alternating between crying and talking openly about death may suggest depression rather than acceptance. Seeking multiple medical opinions shows disbelief, denial, or desperation rather than acceptance. Refusing treatments and stating they won't help reflects anger and hopelessness, not acceptance.
3. A 19-year-old client is paralyzed in a car accident. Which statement used by the client would indicate to the nurse that the client was using the mechanism of 'suppression'?
- A. "I don't remember anything about what happened to me."?
- B. "I'd rather not talk about it right now."?
- C. "It's the other entire guy's fault! He was going too fast."?
- D. "My mother is heartbroken about this."?
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is, '"I don't remember anything about what happened to me."?' Suppression involves willfully putting an unacceptable thought or feeling out of one's mind. In this case, the client is purposely choosing not to remember details of the traumatic event to avoid dealing with the associated emotions. Choice B, '"I'd rather not talk about it right now,"?' suggests avoidance or deflection rather than active suppression. Choice C, '"It's the other entire guy's fault! He was going too fast,"?' indicates blaming someone else for the situation, which is a form of defense mechanism known as externalization. Choice D, '"My mother is heartbroken about this,"?' expresses empathy towards the mother's emotions and does not demonstrate suppression of personal feelings.
4. A terminally ill client repeatedly talks about her son's upcoming wedding and how much she wants to attend. Which stage of the K�bler-Ross theory of death and dying is the client displaying?
- A. Anger
- B. Denial
- C. Bargaining
- D. Acceptance
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The client is displaying the stage of bargaining in the K�bler-Ross theory of death and dying. During the bargaining stage, individuals attempt to negotiate for more time or a different outcome in the face of impending death. In this scenario, the client expressing a desire to attend her son's wedding and discussing it frequently reflects a form of bargaining for additional time to be present for the event. Anger, on the other hand, involves extreme expressions of emotion ranging from irritation to rage. Denial is characterized by an inability to accept the reality of the situation. Acceptance signifies coming to terms with the circumstances and may lead to decreased interest in people and surroundings.
5. Which behavior would the nurse recognize as developmentally atypical in preschoolers?
- A. Thumb sucking during stress
- B. Feeling guilty for behaving inappropriately
- C. Feeling happy if there is a newborn in the family
- D. Curiosity about their surroundings
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is feeling happy if there is a newborn in the family. Preschoolers are more likely to exhibit feelings of stress and jealousy rather than happiness with the arrival of a new baby in the family. Thumb sucking and bed-wetting are common behaviors displayed by preschoolers during times of stress. Guilt typically arises in children when they perceive that they have not behaved appropriately. Preschoolers are known to be naturally curious about their surroundings, showing an interest in exploring and learning about the environment around them. Therefore, feeling happy with the birth of a new baby is developmentally atypical for preschoolers.
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