ATI LPN
Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition
Chapter 23 : Depression:Management of Depressive Moods and Suicidal Behavior Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is preparing a presentation for family members of clients who have been diagnosed with depression. When describing the family response to depression, which of the following would the nurse include?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Depression in one family member (
B) impacts the entire family, causing stress, role changes, and emotional strain. Understanding disability (
A) is often limited, abuse (
C) is not necessarily rare, and problems are not exclusive to families of women over 55 (
D).
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client diagnosed with depression and notes that the client has been prescribed mirtazapine. The nurse interprets this information, identifying this agent as which type?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Mirtazapine (
D) is an alpha-2 antagonist, enhancing norepinephrine and serotonin release. It is not an SSRI (
A), cyclic antidepressant (
B), or norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor (
C), distinguishing it by its mechanism.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse makes a home visit to a client who has dysthymic disorder. Which of the following would the nurse expect to assess?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dysthymic disorder, now termed persistent depressive disorder, is characterized by chronic low-grade depression, with symptoms like low energy (
A) being common due to persistent fatigue and lack of motivation. Intense concentration (
B) is unlikely due to cognitive difficulties, agitation (
C) is more typical of anxiety or mixed states, and normal appetite (
D) is less common as appetite changes are frequent.
Question 4 of 5
A client has been diagnosed with major depression. The client reports that he often wakes up during the night and has trouble returning to sleep. The nurse interprets this finding as suggesting which of the following?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Middle insomnia (
D) describes difficulty staying asleep, with frequent awakenings during the night, common in major depression due to disrupted sleep architecture. Initial insomnia (
A) is trouble falling asleep, terminal insomnia (
B) is early morning awakening, and hypersomnia (
C) is excessive sleep, none of which match the client?s description.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client in the outpatient setting who has been diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Before the client is given a prescription for a tricyclic antidepressant, assessment for which of the following would be most important?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have significant cardiac side effects, including the potential to cause arrhythmias, making assessment for cardiac arrhythmia (
C) critical, especially in clients with pre-existing heart conditions. Suicide (
A) is always a concern but not specific to TCAs, hypersomnia (
B) is a symptom, and erectile dysfunction (
D) is a side effect, not a pre-treatment concern.