the nurse has just admitted a client with severe depression from which focus should the nurse identify a priority nursing diagnosis
Logo

Nursing Elites

NCLEX-RN

NCLEX Psychosocial Questions

1. The nurse has just admitted a client with severe depression. From which focus should the nurse identify a priority nursing diagnosis?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In caring for a client with severe depression, ensuring safety is a top priority. Suicide prevention measures must be incorporated into the care plan as individuals with depression are at increased risk. While nutrition, elimination, and activity are important aspects of care, safety takes precedence due to the critical need to prevent harm or self-harm in depressed individuals.

2. What is a common reason why clients abuse alcohol?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Clients often abuse alcohol to blunt reality. Alcohol, by depressing the central nervous system and distorting or altering reality, can reduce anxiety. It is not primarily used to precipitate euphoria; instead, it may lead to mood swings, impaired judgment, and aggressive behavior. While alcohol can be used as a social lubricant, individuals with alcohol use disorder often drink in isolation. Moreover, excessive alcohol consumption can result in inappropriate and aggressive behaviors that hinder social interactions. It's important to note that alcohol is a depressant, unlike stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine.

3. Which of the following is a typical assessment finding of a 24-year-old female with anorexia nervosa?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Lack of menstruation. Amenorrhea, or lack of menstruation, is a common occurrence in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The induced starvation from anorexia can disrupt hormone levels, leading to menstrual irregularities. This hormonal imbalance can result in amenorrhea, which can have long-term consequences such as osteoporosis and infertility. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Weight loss of more than 2% body fat may be a consequence of anorexia but is not a specific assessment finding. Frequent binge-eating episodes followed by induced vomiting are more characteristic of bulimia nervosa, not anorexia nervosa. A history of poor academic performance and mediocre achievements is not a typical assessment finding related to anorexia nervosa symptoms.

4. 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"?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is "I don't remember anything about what happened to me." This statement indicates the use of suppression, which is the willful act of putting an unacceptable thought or feeling out of one's mind. In this case, the client is deliberately excluding memories of the traumatic event to protect their self-esteem. The other choices do not reflect suppression: Choice B shows avoidance or deflection, Choice C demonstrates blame shifting, and Choice D indicates empathy towards another individual.

5. Which clinical findings indicate positive signs and symptoms of schizophrenia?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is bizarre behavior, auditory hallucinations, and loose associations. These are positive symptoms of schizophrenia, reflecting a distortion or excess of normal function. Withdrawal, poverty of speech, inattentiveness, flat affect, decreased spontaneity, and asocial behavior are negative symptoms linked to schizophrenia, indicating a diminution or absence of normal function. Hypomania, labile mood swings, and episodes of euphoria are more characteristic of bipolar disorder, rather than schizophrenia.

Similar Questions

What behavior is expected of members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
On the first postpartum day, a client whose infant is rooming in asks the nurse to return her baby to the nursery and bring the baby to her only at feeding times. Which response would the nurse provide?
During a discussion about glaucoma at the community center, which comment by one of the retirees would the nurse give a supportive comment to reinforce correct information?
A 5-year-old child has been recently admitted to the hospital. According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial development stages, the child is in which stage?
Which therapeutic approach would indicate the client is receiving desensitization therapy?

Access More Features

NCLEX RN Basic
$69.99/ 30 days

  • 5,000 Questions with answers
  • Comprehensive NCLEX coverage
  • 30 days access

NCLEX RN Premium
$149.99/ 90 days

  • 5,000 Questions with answers
  • Comprehensive NCLEX coverage
  • 30 days access

Other Courses