ATI RN
Psychotropic Medication Side Effects Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse suspects that a patient has carpal tunnel syndrome and wants to perform the Phalen test. To perform this test, the nurse should instruct the patient to:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because the Phalen test is used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome by placing the wrists in extreme flexion for 60 seconds, which reproduces symptoms in patients with the condition. Choice A (dorsiflex the foot) and Choice B (plantarflex the foot) are related to ankle movements, not wrist movements. Choice D (hyperextend the wrists with the palmar surface of both hands touching) is incorrect as it is the opposite of what the Phalen test requires, which is wrist flexion.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is assessing a 1-week-old infant and is testing his muscle strength. The nurse lifts the infant with hands under the axillae and notices that the infant starts to 'slip' between the hands. The nurse should:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rationale for Choice C: 1. At 1 week old, infants should exhibit some resistance when lifted under the axillae. 2. If the infant "slips" between the hands, it suggests weakness in the shoulder muscles. 3. This weakness could indicate a potential neuromuscular issue or developmental delay. 4. Further assessment and monitoring of the infant's muscle strength are necessary. Summary of Other Choices: A. A fractured clavicle would present with localized pain and tenderness, not slipping when lifted. B. Spinal deformities would not typically cause slipping between the hands when lifted. D. While infant musculature is undeveloped, slipping when lifted under the axillae is not a normal finding and should be further investigated.
Question 3 of 5
The wife of a 65-year-old man tells the nurse that she is concerned because she has noticed a change in her husband's personality and ability to understand. He also cries very easily and becomes angry. The nurse recalls that the cerebral lobe responsible for these behaviors is the __________ lobe.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is responsible for personality, emotional control, decision-making, and understanding. Changes in personality, emotional lability, and difficulty in understanding are associated with frontal lobe dysfunction. Parietal lobe (B) is mainly responsible for sensory processing and spatial awareness. Occipital lobe (C) is responsible for visual processing. Temporal lobe (D) is involved in auditory processing and memory. Therefore, in this case, the symptoms described by the wife point towards dysfunction in the frontal lobe.
Question 4 of 5
A patient has a severed spinal nerve as a result of trauma. Which statement is true in this situation?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Step 1: Spinal nerves carry both sensory and motor information. Step 2: When a spinal nerve is severed, the sensory input from that specific dermatome is lost. Step 3: The adjacent spinal nerves do not compensate for the severed nerve's sensory function. Step 4: Therefore, the correct answer is C, as sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve are lost. Summary: A: Incorrect - Severing a spinal nerve affects sensory and motor functions, not just motor. B: Incorrect - Sensation is lost in the dermatome served by the severed nerve. D: Incorrect - Spinal nerves contain both sensory and motor components, so a severed nerve affects both functions.
Question 5 of 5
In obtaining a health history on a 74-year-old patient, the nurse notes that he drinks alcohol daily and that he has noticed a tremor in his hands that affects his ability to hold things. With this information, what response should the nurse make?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Step 1: Assess if alcohol consumption is related to tremor by asking if the tremor changes when drinking. Step 2: Tremors can be alcohol-related or caused by other factors, hence a targeted question is crucial. Step 3: Addressing alcohol consumption and tremor relationship helps in understanding the patient's condition. Step 4: Other choices are incorrect as they do not directly address the potential relationship between alcohol consumption and tremor.