ATI RN
ATI Mental Health Exam 3 Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A nurse reviews the laboratory report for a client who is receiving lithium three times daily PO. The client's current blood lithium level is 1.8 mEq/L. The nurse identifies that this lab value indicates which of the following?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: The lithium level is at the toxic level. A blood lithium level of 1.8 mEq/L is considered toxic as it exceeds the therapeutic range of 0.6-1.2 mEq/L. At this level, the client is at risk for lithium toxicity, which can lead to serious complications such as tremors, confusion, seizures, and even death. It is crucial for the nurse to recognize this and take appropriate actions, such as notifying the healthcare provider and adjusting the dosage.
Summary of other choices:
A: The lithium level is not within the therapeutic level for initial treatment.
B: Incorrect, as 1.8 mEq/L is above the maintenance treatment level.
C: Incorrect, as the level is not below the therapeutic range.
E, F, G: No information provided, so cannot be evaluated.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder and is experiencing acute mania. The client is doing calisthenics in the client dining room during lunchtime instead of eating. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: "Come with me. Here is a milkshake to drink." This response acknowledges the client's current behavior, offers a solution to address the situation, and provides a positive alternative to support the client's nutritional needs. Offering a milkshake encourages fluid and caloric intake, addressing the client's energy expenditure during calisthenics. It also redirects the client's focus from excessive exercise to a more balanced approach to self-care.
Option B is incorrect because the client in acute mania may not be able to make a rational decision about their activities. Option C may escalate the situation by abruptly stopping the client's behavior without providing an alternative. Option D is incorrect as it shames the client for their behavior and does not offer a constructive solution.
Question 3 of 5
A mother (G1 P1 T1 PO AO L1) diagnosed with postpartum depression expresses feelings of hopelessness. Which nursing diagnosis is the priority?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Risk for self-harm. This is the priority nursing diagnosis because the mother's expression of hopelessness indicates a potential risk for harming herself. This diagnosis takes precedence over the others because self-harm poses the most immediate threat to her well-being. Ineffective coping (choice
A) could contribute to the risk for self-harm but is not as urgent. Risk for impaired parenting (choice
B) and anxiety (choice
C) are important considerations but do not address the immediate safety concern of self-harm. Thus, they are not the priority at this time.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse in an acute mental health unit is admitting a client who has bipolar disorder. Which of the following findings supports the admitting diagnosis of acute mania?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because responding to questions with disorganized speech is a hallmark symptom of acute mania in bipolar disorder. This symptom is indicative of racing thoughts and pressured speech commonly seen in manic episodes.
Choice A relates to auditory hallucinations, which can occur in various mental health conditions but are not specific to mania.
Choice B is irrelevant to the diagnosis.
Choice D is more indicative of potential side effects of medication or other medical conditions.
Question 5 of 5
Inability to leave one's home because of avoidance of severe anxiety suggests the existence of which anxiety disorder?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Panic attacks with agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is characterized by fear and avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of panic symptoms. This includes fear of leaving one's home. Panic attacks often precede the development of agoraphobia, as individuals start to associate certain environments with panic symptoms. Posttraumatic stress response (
A), Generalized anxiety disorder (
C), and Obsessive-compulsive disorder (
D) do not specifically involve avoidance of leaving one's home due to severe anxiety.