ATI RN
Behavioral Health Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse works with a patient diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who has frequent flashbacks as well as persistent symptoms of arousal. Which intervention should be included in the plan of care?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B, "Explain that the physical symptoms are related to the psychological state." This intervention helps the patient understand the connection between their physical symptoms and their psychological state, promoting self-awareness and insight. By recognizing this link, the patient can begin to identify triggers and develop coping strategies. Choice A is incorrect because intentionally triggering flashbacks can be harmful and retraumatizing for the patient. Choice C is incorrect as encouraging repression of memories can worsen symptoms and hinder the healing process. Choice D is incorrect because supporting "numbing" as a coping mechanism may prevent the patient from processing and addressing underlying issues, leading to long-term negative effects.
Question 2 of 5
Which assessment finding best supports dissociative fugue? The patient states
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because dissociative fugue involves sudden, unexpected travel away from home, with inability to recall one's past and personal identity. Choice A directly relates to memory loss regarding current circumstances, a hallmark feature of dissociative fugue. Choices B, C, and D do not align with the diagnostic criteria of dissociative fugue as they describe different symptoms such as feeling dreamy, experiencing internal conflict within the body, and feeling anxious, respectively.
Question 3 of 5
A patient has blindness related to conversion (functional neurological) disorder but is unconcerned about this problem. Which understanding should guide the nurse's planning for this patient?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for the correct answer (B): 1. Conversion disorder involves physical symptoms without underlying medical cause. 2. The patient's blindness is related to conversion disorder, indicating a psychological origin. 3. Unconcerned attitude suggests relief from anxiety through the physical symptom. 4. Nurse should focus on addressing underlying anxiety to help alleviate the symptom. 5. By addressing anxiety, the patient may experience improvement in the physical symptom. Summary of why other choices are incorrect: A: Incorrect because suppression of accurate feelings is not the primary issue in conversion disorder. C: Incorrect as the blindness is not due to physical impairment of the optic nerve. D: Incorrect assumption as the patient's lack of concern does not imply non-disclosure of fears.
Question 4 of 5
A patient reports fears of having cervical cancer and says to the nurse, "I've had Pap smears by six different doctors. The results were normal, but I'm sure that's because of errors in the laboratory." Which disorder would the nurse suspect?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis). This is because the patient's persistent fear of having cervical cancer despite normal test results suggests excessive anxiety about their health. This disorder involves preoccupation with having a serious illness despite medical reassurance. The patient's mistrust in laboratory results indicates a belief that they are ill, even when evidence suggests otherwise. A: Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical conditions. C: Somatic symptom disorder involves excessive focus on physical symptoms, not fear of a specific illness. D: Factitious disorder involves intentionally producing or feigning physical or psychological symptoms for attention or to assume the sick role.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse's neighbor says, "I saw a news story about a man without any known illness who died suddenly after his ex-wife committed suicide. Was that a coincidence, or can emotional shock be fatal?" The nurse should respond by noting that some serious medical conditions may be complicated by emotional stress, including (Select all that apply)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: cancer. Emotional stress can impact the body's immune system, potentially worsening existing medical conditions like cancer. Stress hormones may also exacerbate inflammation and cell growth in cancer. Hip fractures, hypertension, and immune disorders are not directly affected by emotional stress in the same way as cancer. In summary, emotional stress can have a significant impact on underlying medical conditions, with cancer being particularly susceptible to worsening due to stress.