ATI LPN
Test Bank for Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice
Chapter 28 : Personality and Borderline Personality Disorder: Management of Emotional Dysregulation and Self-Harm Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who has borderline personality disorder. Which of the following would be a priority?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Physical functioning (
C) is a priority in BPD assessment due to the risk of self-harm or impulsivity affecting safety and health. Nutrition (
A), hygiene (
B), and somatic complaints (
D) are important but secondary, as they are less immediately tied to life-threatening risks like self-injury.
Question 2 of 5
A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder tells the nurse that she frequently spaces out. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The client?s description of ?spacing out? suggests dissociation, common in BPD. Asking if she feels out of her body (
D) directly assesses the nature of this dissociative experience. Asking about stress (
A), fear (
B), or external events (
C) is less specific to confirming dissociation.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The nurse has instructed the client about using the communication triad. The nurse determines that the client has understood this technique when he states which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The communication triad in BPD therapy involves using ?I? statements to express feelings, describing the situation, and stating desired changes. Starting with an ?I? statement (
A) initiates effective communication. Describing the situation (
B), desired changes (
C), or triggers (
D) follows but does not begin the triad.
Question 4 of 5
A client with borderline personality disorder tells the nurse, I?m afraid to get on a train because we?ll probably get into a wreck. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Challenging the irrational fear by asking about the likelihood of a train wreck (
B) gently encourages reality-testing without dismissing the client?s anxiety, a therapeutic approach in BPD. Asking about past experiences (
A) may reinforce fear, dismissing the fear (
C) is invalidating, and suggesting alternatives (
D) avoids addressing the fear.
Question 5 of 5
A nursing instructor is preparing a class discussion on personality disorders and characteristics. Which term would the instructor include to differentiate personality disorders from normal personality? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A,C,E
Rationale: Personality disorders are characterized by inflexible (
A), pervasive (
C), and distressing (E) patterns of behavior that deviate from normal personality traits. They are not short-term (
B) but enduring, and while unstable relationships or emotions may occur, ?unstable over time? (
D) is not a defining feature of the disorder itself.