ATI LPN
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach to Evidence-Based Care, 4e 4th Edition
Chapter 23 Questions
Question 1 of 5
A severely depressed patient who has been on suicide precautions tells the nurse, 'I am feeling a lot better, so you can stop watching me. I have taken too much of your time already.' Which is the nurse's best response?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When a patient seeks to have precautions lifted by professing to feel better, the patient may be seeking greater freedom in which to attempt suicide. Changing the treatment plan requires careful evaluation of outcome indicators by the staff. The incorrect options will not cause the patient to admit to a suicidal plan, do not convey concern for the patient, or suggest that the patient is not a partner in the care process.
Question 2 of 5
A depressed patient says, 'Nothing matters anymore.' What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse must make overt what is covert; that is, the possibility of suicide must be openly addressed. Often, patients feel relieved to be able to talk about suicidal ideation.
Question 3 of 5
Which intervention should a nurse recommend for the distressed family and friends of someone who has successfully committed suicide?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Survivors need outlets for their feelings about the loss and the deceased person. Self-help groups provide peer support while survivors work through feelings of loss, anger, and guilt. Psychological postmortem assessment would not provide the support necessary to work through feelings of loss associated with the suicide of a family member. Reminiscence therapy is not geared to loss resolution. Contracting for two sessions of group therapy would probably not provide sufficient time to work through the issues associated with a death by suicide.
Question 4 of 5
Which understanding about individuals who attempt suicide will help a nurse plan the care for a suicidal patient?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hopelessness is the characteristic common among people who attempt suicide. The incorrect options reflect myths about suicide. Not all who attempt suicide are intent on dying. Not all are mentally ill or cognitively impaired.
Question 5 of 5
An adolescent tells the school nurse, 'My friend threatened to take an overdose of pills.' The nurse talks to the friend who verbalized the suicide threat. What is the most critical question for the nurse to ask?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse must assess the patient's access to the means to carry out the plan and, if there is access, alert the parents to remove them from the home. The other questions may be important to ask but are not the most critical.