ATI RN
Psychobiological Disorder Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient tells a nurse, My new friend is the most perfect person one could imagine: kind, considerate, and good-looking. I cant find a single flaw. This patient is demonstrating:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Idealization is an unconscious process that occurs when the individual attributes exaggerated positive qualities to another. Denial is an unconscious process that would call for the nurse to ignore the existence of the situation. Projection operates unconsciously and would result in blaming behavior. Compensation would result in the nurse unconsciously attempting to make up for a perceived weakness by emphasizing a strong point.
Question 2 of 5
A wife received news that her husband died of heart failure and called her family to come to the hospital. She angrily tells the nurse who cared for him, 'He would still be alive if you had given him your undivided attention.' Select the nurse's best intervention.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct intervention for the nurse in this scenario is option A) Say to the wife, 'I understand you are feeling upset. I will stay with you until your family comes.' This response demonstrates empathy and active listening towards the wife who is grieving and expressing anger. By acknowledging her emotions and offering to stay with her, the nurse shows support and understanding during a difficult time. This approach helps to establish a therapeutic relationship and provides comfort to the wife in her moment of distress. Option B is incorrect because providing a clinical explanation about the husband's heart condition in response to the wife's emotional outburst is not appropriate at this time. The wife is not seeking a medical explanation but rather emotional support and empathy. Option C is not the best choice as it suggests involving the healthcare provider without addressing the wife's immediate emotional needs. In this situation, the wife requires immediate emotional support rather than a discussion with the healthcare provider. Option D, while showing physical support through holding the wife's hand, lacks verbal communication and acknowledgment of her feelings. Verbal reassurance and empathy are essential in this scenario to address the wife's emotional distress effectively. In an educational context, this scenario highlights the importance of therapeutic communication in nursing practice, especially when dealing with emotionally charged situations. Nurses must be able to demonstrate empathy, active listening, and effective communication skills to provide holistic care to patients and their families during times of crisis and grief.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse who is counseling a patient with dissociative identity disorder should understand that the assessment of highest priority is:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Assessments that relate to patient safety take priority. Patients with dissociative disorders may be at risk for suicide or self-mutilation, so the nurse must be alert for indicators of risk for self-injury. The other options are important assessments but rank below safety. Treatment motivation, while an important consideration, is not necessarily a part of the nursing assessment.
Question 4 of 5
A person runs from a crowded nightclub after a pyrotechnics show causes the building to catch fire. Which division of the autonomic nervous system will be stimulated in response to this experience?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The autonomic nervous system is comprised of the sympathetic (fight or flight response) and parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response). In times of stress, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. A person would experience stress associated with the experience of being in danger. The peripheral nervous system responds to messages from the sympathetic nervous system. The limbic system processes emotional responses but is not specifically part of the autonomic nervous system.
Question 5 of 5
A soldier returned home from active duty in a combat zone in Afghanistan and was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The soldier says, 'If there's a loud noise at night, I get under my bed because I think we're getting bombed.' What type of experience has the soldier described?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Flashbacks are dissociative reactions in which an individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event were recurring. Illusions are misinterpretations of stimuli, and although the experience is similar, it is better termed a flashback because of the diagnosis of PTSD. Auditory hallucinations have no external stimuli. Nightmares commonly accompany PTSD, but this experience was stimulated by an actual environmental sound.