ATI RN
Behavioral Health Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient diagnosed with depersonalization disorder tells the nurse, "It's starting again. I feel as though I'm going to float away." Which intervention would be most appropriate at this point?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Engage the patient in a physical activity such as exercise. Physical activity can help ground the patient by redirecting their focus and decreasing feelings of detachment and floating. Exercise releases endorphins which can improve mood and reduce anxiety. A: Notifying the health care provider may be necessary but engaging the patient in physical activity is the immediate priority. C: Isolating the patient may exacerbate feelings of detachment and increase anxiety. D: Administering antianxiety medication may be necessary in some cases, but engaging in physical activity is a non-pharmacological intervention that should be attempted first.
Question 2 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 3 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 4 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.
Question 5 of 5
Which assessment findings support a diagnosis of ODD?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because the assessment findings of being negative, hostile, and blaming others for misbehavior are characteristic of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). These behaviors align with the pattern of defiance and anger seen in individuals with ODD. Choices B, C, and D do not align with the typical symptoms of ODD. Choice B describes symptoms more indicative of Tourette syndrome, choice C describes conduct disorder behaviors, and choice D is more related to anxiety or trauma rather than ODD.