ATI RN
Psychotherapeutic Drugs Quiz Questions
Question 1 of 5
When a patient is taking an antidepressant, what should the nurse do? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct Answer: A Rationale: 1. Antidepressants can initially worsen suicidal thoughts in some patients. 2. Monitoring for suicidal tendencies allows early intervention. 3. Suicide risk assessment is essential during antidepressant therapy. 4. Prompt identification of suicidal ideation can prevent self-harm. Summary: - B: Orthostatic hypotension is a common side effect but not directly related to monitoring antidepressant therapy. - C: Taking the drug with food is for gastrointestinal distress, not specific to antidepressant monitoring. - D: Information about drug effectiveness does not address the critical need to monitor for suicidal tendencies.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is assessing a patient who is complaining of hearing voices. What is this patient experiencing?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Hallucinations are false sensory perceptions that are experienced without an external stimulus but seem real to the patient. Auditory hallucinations are prominent in a schizophrenic patient. Additional sensory hallucinations include those of touch, sight, smell, and body sensation. Delusions are false beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary. Flight of ideas is characterized by rapid changes in thought from one topic to another. Disorganized thinking is commonly associated with psychoses and consists of a flight of ideas during which the individual jumps from one idea or topic to another one.
Question 3 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 4 of 5
What is the most common cause of nonadherence to antipsychotic pharmacologic treatment?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Extrapyramidal effects are the most common reason for nonadherence to antipsychotic therapy. The four categories of extrapyramidal effects are dystonic reactions, pseudoparkinsonism, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia. Although expense may be a concern, it is not the most common reason for noncompliance. Chemical dependency is not a feature of therapy with antipsychotic drugs. Although knowledge deficit is a concern, it is not the most common reason for noncompliance.
Question 5 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.