ATI LPN
Test Bank for Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice
Chapter 24 : Bipolar Disorders: Management of Mood Lability Questions
Question 1 of 5
A client with bipolar disorder having experienced a depressive episode is prescribed lamotrigine. After teaching the client about this medication, the nurse determines that the teaching was successful when the client states which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Lamotrigine (
A) carries a risk of serious skin rashes, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, requiring immediate reporting. Blood testing (
B) is not routine for lamotrigine, salt intake (
C) is irrelevant, and liver function (
D) is less commonly affected compared to other mood stabilizers.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a female client with bipolar disorder who is experiencing acute mania. Which of the following would be most appropriate for the nurse to do?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Allowing the client to participate in treatment decisions (
B) fosters autonomy and therapeutic alliance, appropriate unless the client is too impaired to decide. Firm insistence (
A) may escalate agitation, restraint (
C) is a last resort, and notifying the physician (
D) assumes refusal prematurely.
Question 3 of 5
A client who is receiving lithium comes to the clinic for an evaluation. During the visit, the client reports a fine hand tremor. Which action by the nurse would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A fine hand tremor is a common, benign side effect of lithium. Taking the medication with meals or snacks (
B) can reduce gastrointestinal irritation and tremor severity. Immediate blood testing (
A) is unnecessary unless toxicity is suspected, stress reduction (
C) is less relevant, and elevation (
D) is ineffective.
Question 4 of 5
A client?s blood level of carbamazepine is increased. When reviewing the client?s medication history, which of the following would alert the nurse to a possible interaction?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Diltiazem (
D), a calcium channel blocker, inhibits the metabolism of carbamazepine, increasing its blood levels and risking toxicity. Phenobarbital (
A), primidone (
B), and phenytoin (
C) are enzyme inducers that typically decrease carbamazepine levels.
Question 5 of 5
A client is brought to the emergency department by his brother. The client has a history of bipolar disorder for which he is taking divalproex. The brother reports that he watched his brother take the medication about 2 hours ago. He stated, A little while ago, he got very disoriented and agitated. The nurse suspects toxicity based on assessment of which of the following? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: D,E
Rationale: Divalproex toxicity may present with nystagmus (
D) and vomiting (E), alongside disorientation and agitation, due to neurological and gastrointestinal effects. Tachypnea (
A), bradycardia (
B), and hypotension (
C) are less specific to valproate toxicity.