ATI RN
Psychotherapeutic Drugs Quiz Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient with schizophrenia has been nonadherent with his home medication regimen. He requires frequent admissions to the intensive psychiatric unit for treatment of acute psychotic episodes. Which medication regimen would be appropriate for this patient?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Depot antipsychotic medications are long-acting injections that may be used with noncompliant patients and may assist in avoiding repeated hospital admissions. Daily home nursing visits are not an efficient way to ensure medication compliance. Continuous inpatient hospitalization is not an efficient way to ensure medication compliance. Subcutaneous medication administration is not an option for this patient.
Question 2 of 5
Which type of adverse effects is present when a patient displays prolonged tonic contractions of the tongue, oculogyric crisis, and torticollis?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dystonic reactions are the first extrapyramidal symptoms to occur when a patient is taking antipsychotic agents. Dystonias are spasmodic movements of muscle groups such as tongue protrusion, rolling back of the eyes (oculogyric crisis), jaw spasms (trismus), or neck torsion (torticollis). Pseudoparkinsonism is characterized by tremor and rigidity. Akathisia is characterized by subjective feelings of anxiety and restlessness, accompanied by pacing and the inability to remain in one place for extended periods. Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by persistent involuntary hyperkinetic movements.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is teaching a patient who is taking clozapine (Clozaril) to have weekly blood tests for the first 6 months of treatment to monitor for which potential complication?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 4 of 5
A male patient becomes verbally aggressive and insists the nurse is poisoning him as she attempts to administer haloperidol (Haldol). Which action will the nurse take?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: During episodes of acute psychosis, the patient is out of touch with reality and often does not understand the need for medication in stabilizing his or her condition. Target symptoms such as agitation, suspicion, and paranoia are common. Healthcare providers must be supportive yet firm in their expectations. An open and direct manner in handling patients who are highly suspicious is critical. Delusions should not be supported. The patient is not competent to determine his need for medication. It is dishonest to hide medication in a patient's food and destroys a trusting relationship. Reasoning with the patient is unlikely to change his mind; he needs external structure for making decisions when he is aggressive and paranoid.
Question 5 of 5
Which statement is true regarding the adverse effects associated with antipsychotic medications?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Approximately 90% of all dystonic reactions occur in the first 72 hours of antipsychotic therapy. These symptoms are often frightening and painful. Tardive dyskinesia is present in 20% to 25% of patients and may become irreversible. NMS is not a common adverse effect. Pseudoparkinsonism is not related to Parkinson's disease.