NCLEX-RN
NCLEX Psychosocial Questions
1. What is a priority goal of involuntary hospitalization of the severely mentally ill client?
- A. Re-orientation to reality
- B. Elimination of symptoms
- C. Protection from harm to self or others
- D. Return to independent functioning
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The priority goal of involuntary hospitalization of severely mentally ill clients is to ensure protection from harm to self or others. Involuntary hospitalization is often necessary for individuals who are deemed dangerous to themselves or others or who are considered gravely disabled. Re-orientation to reality, elimination of symptoms, and return to independent functioning are important aspects of mental health care but are not the primary goals of involuntary hospitalization. The main focus during involuntary hospitalization is to address safety concerns and prevent harm.
2. A 17-year-old Asian client is being seen for lower abdominal pain in the right quadrant. The client is accompanied by his parents. The nurse notes that the client's father does not make eye contact and shows little response when told that the client will need surgery. Which of the following is the most appropriate action of the nurse?
- A. Contact an interpreter to give the information again in the father's native language
- B. Continue to provide information about surgery to both the client and his parents
- C. Call social services to evaluate the parent's standard of care
- D. Contact the physician about postponing the surgery
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Nurses may work with clients who have varying cultural beliefs. Because of this, nurses must remain aware of the cultural practices associated with certain ethnic groups. Asian Americans may avoid eye contact as a sign of respect; additionally, emotional responses may be avoided except for in private situations. If this family did not have a language barrier, the nurse should continue to provide appropriate information about the surgery and recognize the cultural differences that exist. Contacting an interpreter is not necessary as there was no mention of a language barrier. Calling social services to evaluate the parent's standard of care is premature and not within the nurse's immediate scope of practice. Contacting the physician about postponing the surgery is not warranted based on the information provided.
3. The nurse evaluates the client's progress and determines that one of the nursing diagnoses on the client's care plan has been resolved. How should the nurse document this so that it is best communicated to the healthcare team?
- A. Use Liquid PaperTM to 'white out' the resolved diagnosis on the care plan
- B. Recopy the care plan without the resolved diagnosis
- C. Write a nursing progress note indicating that the outcome goals have been achieved
- D. Draw a single line through the diagnosis on the care plan and write the nurse's initials and date
Correct answer: D
Rationale: To discontinue a diagnosis once it has been resolved, cross it off with a single line or highlight it, then write initials and date. Some agency forms may require the nurse to put date and initials in a 'Date Resolved' column. Using Liquid PaperTM is not a legal way to amend client records as it can obscure the original documentation. Recopying the care plan without the resolved diagnosis can lead to confusion and inaccuracies in the client's record. Writing a nursing progress note indicating that the outcome goals have been achieved is important but should not be the sole method used to communicate the resolution of a nursing diagnosis. Drawing a single line through the resolved diagnosis on the care plan and documenting the nurse's initials and date is the most effective way to communicate the resolution of a nursing diagnosis to the healthcare team.
4. Jerry is a 55-year-old veteran who has been admitted after a motor vehicle accident with multiple injuries. His friend reported that he had been using synthetic marijuana prior to the accident, and that he also sees a psychiatrist at the VA hospital for an unknown diagnosis. He stated that Jerry sometimes gets "hyper"? for no reason, starts "ranting"? and becomes violent. Of the following, which general psychiatric disorder is characterized by a pattern of aggression or violence that includes irritability, agitation, and violent behavior during manic or psychotic episodes?
- A. Schizophrenia
- B. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- C. Bipolar disorder
- D. Delusional disorder
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Bipolar disorder is characterized by a pattern of aggression or violence that includes irritability, agitation, and violent behavior during manic or psychotic episodes. This disorder is highly co-morbid with substance use, which can worsen the prognosis. While schizophrenia may involve aggression, it is not typically associated with mood episodes like mania that characterize bipolar disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is primarily characterized by re-experiencing traumatic events, avoidance behaviors, and hyperarousal, but not the distinct mood episodes seen in bipolar disorder. Delusional disorder is characterized by fixed false beliefs without the mood changes seen in bipolar disorder. Therefore, the correct answer is Bipolar disorder.
5. When a client with newly diagnosed chronic bronchitis tells the home health nurse about continuing to smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes a day and not doing the prescribed pulmonary physiotherapy exercises, which response by the nurse is best?
- A. ''Tell me about your typical day before you were diagnosed with chronic lung disease.''
- B. ''Smoking and not doing the exercises will make your lung disease continue to get worse.''
- C. 'I can't make you stop doing what you are doing, and it's your choice to be sick or well.''
- D. ''Your shortness of breath is probably because of your smoking and not doing the exercises.''
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Asking the client to describe a typical day is the best response. More data are needed about the client's usual activities of daily living so that the plan can be adapted to the client's preferences. The statement indicating that smoking and not doing the pulmonary exercises will allow the lung disease to progress is probably not news to the client and does not help in determining factors that might be contributing to nonadherence. The statement that the nurse cannot stop the client's behaviors indicates that the client is to blame and will place the client on the defensive. The statement that the client's dyspnea is caused by smoking and not doing the pulmonary exercises places the client on the defensive and will decrease trust, preventing the nurse from obtaining more information about why the client is nonadherent with the treatment plan.
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