ATI RN
psychiatric nurse certification Questions
Question 1 of 5
A store clerk was killed during a robbery 2 weeks ago. His widow, who has a long history of schizoaffective disorder, cries spontaneously when talking about his death. Select the nurse's most therapeutic response.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The patient is expressing feelings related to the loss, and this is an expected and healthy behavior. This patient is at risk for a maladaptive response because of the history of a serious mental illness, but the nurse's priority intervention is to form a therapeutic alliance and support the patient's expression of feelings. Crying at 2 weeks after his death is expected and normal.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse interviewing a patient with suspected PTSD should be alert to findings indicating the patient (Select all that apply)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 3 of 5
To plan effective care for patients diagnosed with somatic symptom disorders, the nurse should understand that patients have difficulty giving up the symptoms because the symptoms
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: At the unconscious level, the patient's primary gain from the symptoms is anxiety relief. Considering that the symptoms actually make the patient more psychologically comfortable and may also provide secondary gain, patients frequently fiercely cling to the symptoms. The symptoms tend to be chronic, but that does not explain why they are difficult to give up. The symptoms are not under voluntary control or physiologically based.
Question 4 of 5
A patient diagnosed with a somatic symptom disorder has been in treatment for 4 weeks. The patient says, "Although I'm still having pain, I notice it less and am able to perform more activities." The nurse should evaluate the treatment plan as
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 5 of 5
A 12-year-old has engaged in bullying for several years. The parents say, "We can't believe anything our child says." Recently this child shot a dog with a pellet gun and set fire to a neighbor's trash bin. The child's behaviors support the diagnosis of
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The behaviors mentioned are most consistent with criteria for CD, including aggression against people and animals; destruction of property; deceitfulness; rule violations; and impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. Intermittent explosive disorder is a pattern of behavioral outbursts characterized by an inability to control aggressive impulses in adults 18 years and older. The behaviors are not consistent with attention deficit or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).