ATI Psychopharmacology Questions

A nurse is educating a group of high school students about mental illness. Which of the following statements should the nurse make about etiology of a mental illness?

a. "Schizophrenia can be detected through a complete blood count."

b. "It is possible to predict the likelihood of developing manifestations of a mental illness."

c. "Developing a mental illness seems to be related to both genetic and environmental factors."

d. "Regular physical examinations are commonly used to diagnose mental illness."

c. "Developing a mental illness seems to be related to both genetic and environmental factors."

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing disruptions in sleep, appetite, and reports having a depressed mood. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe?

a. Benzodiazepine

b. Dopamine antagonist

c. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

d. Mood stabilizer

c. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

A nurse is caring for a client who recently began taking methylphenidate, a CNS stimulant. Which of the following topics should the nurse prepare to discuss with the client?

a. A tolerance to the medication rarely occurs

b. An increase in appetite may occur after taking the medication

c. The medication should be taken 1 hr before bedtime

d. Foods that are known to be high in caffeine should be avoided

d. Foods that are known to be high in caffeine should be avoided

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing opiate withdrawal. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect to observe?

a. Increased heart rate and blood pressure

b. Respiratory depression and excessive drowsiness

c. Constipation and pupil constriction

d. Goose flesh and diarrhea

d. Goose flesh and diarrhea

A nurse in the ED is caring for a client who has acute haloperidol toxicity. Which if the following findings should the nurse identify as consistent with neuroleptic malignant syndrome?

a. Dilated pupils and GI discomfort

b. Hyperthermia and elevated creatinine kinase

c. Respiratory depression and comatose state

d. Slumped posture and shuffling gait

b. Hyperthermia and elevated creatinine kinase

A nurse is preparing a presentation for high school students about the causes of mental illness. Which of the following should the nurse include in the presentation?

a. Stress has been identified as a potential cause of mental illness

b. Manifestations of mental illness can be resolved through motivation

c. Medications serve as a cure for mental illness

d. Psychotherapy can serve as a cure for mental illness

a. Stress has been identified as a potential cause of mental illness

A nurse us reviewing the serum lithium report for a client who has bipolar disorder. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect the client to be experiencing with a lithium level of 2.2 mEq/L?

a. Severe respiratory complications

b. Jerking motor movements

c. GI discomfort

d. Abnormal involuntary movements of the tongue

b. Jerking motor movements

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing diaphoresis, palpitations, and a sense of impending doom. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe?

a. Benzodiazepine

b. Dopamine antagonist

c. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

d. Mood stabilizer

a. Benzodiazepine

A nurse is providing education to a client about the process of neurotransmission. Which of the following statements about neurotransmission should the nurse make?

a. "Neurotransmitters function by storing glucose in vesicles found in neurons."

b. "Neurotransmitters are rarely found in the brain."

c. "Neurotransmitters are chemical components that allow neurons to communicate with each other."

d. "After a neurotransmitter completes neurotransmission, it is then activated by the enzyme transferase."

c. "Neurotransmitters are chemical components that allow neurons to communicate with each other."

A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking risperidone and reports experiencing muscle spasms in their neck and difficulty opening their mouth. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe for this client?

a. Diphenhydramine

b. Valbenazine

c. Escitalopram

d. Naloxone

a. Diphenhydramine

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing opiate toxicity. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe?

a. Benzodiazepines

b. Diphenhydramine

c. Naloxone

d. Methadone

c. Naloxone

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing alternating periods of elevated and depressed mood. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe?

a. Benzodiazepine

b. Dopamine antagonist

c. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

d. Mood stabilizer

d. Mood stabilizer

A nurse is educating a newly licensed nurse about opiate withdrawal. Which of the following findings should the nurse instruct the newly licensed nurse to monitor for?

a. Muscle aches

b. Respiratory depression

c. Hallucinations

d. Increased risk of seizure

a. Muscle aches

A nurse is caring for a client who has mood dysregulation, decreased sex drive, and decreased sleep. Which of the following neurotransmitters should the nurse identify as being responsible for the client's manifestations?

a. Dopamine

b. Serotonin

c. Norepinephrine

d. Histamine

b. Serotonin

A nurse is caring for a client who is prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant medication. Which of the following topics should the nurse prepare to discuss with the client?

a. It is important to take the medication first thing in the morning

b. Relief of manifestations should not be expected for a few weeks

c. There are benefits associated with combining tricyclic antidepressant with St. John's Wort

d. Foods that are known to be high in dietary tyramine should be avoided

b. Relief of manifestations should not be expected for a few weeks

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing manifestations of alcohol withdrawal. When assessing the client, which of the following purposes describes the function of the CIWA-Ar scale?

a. Determine the client's severity of alcohol withdrawal and adjust care accordingly

b. Determine the client's risk of developing severe manifestations

c. Identify genetic factors that influence alcohol withdrawal

d. Analyze and interpret lab and medical imaging data

a. Determine the client's severity of alcohol withdrawal and adjust care accordingly

A nurse is educating a client about mental illness treatment and the client asks, "Why do some medications that treat mental illness take a few weeks to be come effective?" Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

a. "It takes a few months to determine the severity of adverse effects before increasing the dose of medications."

b. "It takes a few days of treatment to reach therapeutic blood levels."

c. "Medications become effective once the client has resolved their stressors."

d. "The brain has to establish a new neuronal pathway in response to medications."

d. "The brain has to establish a new neuronal pathway in response to medications."

A nurse is educating a newly licensed nurse about the purpose of neurotransmitters. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates understanding of the education?

a. "Dopamine is responsible for inhibiting behaviors caused by stress."

b. "Serotonin is responsible for regulating sleep and body temperature."

c. "Norepinephrine is primarily responsible for symptom presentations related to schizophrenia."

d. Histamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that is responsible for pain management and pleasure."

b. "Serotonin is responsible for regulating sleep and body temperature."

A nurse is educating a client about medication therapy. The client asks, "Is there a method of screening for side effects before starting medications?"

Which of the following responses should the nurse make about psychiatric pharmacogenomic testing?

a. "is effective for determining your maximum tolerable dose."

b. "There is testing available that can determine the effectiveness of medications, but not side effects."

c. "Current tests only screen for manifestations and not medication efficacy."

d. "Your health care provider can order a test to determine efficacy and severity of adverse effects."

d. "Your health care provider can order a test to determine efficacy and severity of adverse effects."

A nurse is providing education to the partner of a client who exhibits poor muscle function, poor memory, and poor concentration. Which of the following statements should the nurse make when explaining the client's findings to the partner?

a. "Glutamate interacts with GABA in the brain, causing an individual to experience manifestations of poor motor movements."

b. "A dysfunction in acetylcholine receptors may be a cause for motor movement dysfunction."

c. "Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is primarily responsible for muscle movement."

d. "Recreational drugs that block histamine receptors cause manifestations of psychosis."

b. "A dysfunction in acetylcholine receptors may be a cause for motor movement dysfunction."

A nurse is caring for a client who is prescribed citalopram and is being monitored for activation syndrome. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indicator of activation syndrome?

a. High blood pressure

b. Suicidal ideations

c. Tremors and confusion

d. Trouble sleeping and increased anxiety

b. Suicidal ideations

A nurse is educating a newly licensed nurse about manifestations of alcohol withdrawal. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates an understanding of the teaching?

a. "An increase in the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate causes an elevated heart rate."

b. "A decrease in the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine causes a sense of euphoria."

c. "An increase in the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin causes muscle aches."

d. "A decrease in the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine causes nausea."

a. "An increase in the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate causes an elevated heart rate."

A nurse is facilitating a new parent health and wellness group. One of the group members states, "I have a history of mental illness in my family. Will my child be affected?" Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

a. "Through regular health care provider check-ups, you can prevent mental illness from developing."

b. "Your family history does not affect the mental health of your child."

c. "Mental illness is a product of your environment, not genetics."

d. "There are genetic factors of mental health that may put your child at higher risk of developing manifestations of mental illness."

d. "There are genetic factors of mental health that may put your child at higher risk of developing manifestations of mental illness."

A nurse is caring for a client who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and recently begun lithium therapy. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse identify as indicative of early lithium toxicity?

a. Blurred vision and tinnitus

b. Muscle jerking and stupor

c. Nausea and coarse tremors

d. Respiratory distress and a comatose state

c. Nausea and coarse tremors

A nurse is providing education to the family of a client who is experiencing psychosis. Which of the following statements should the nurse make when explaining the role of glutamate in this disorder?

a. "Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that is responsible for learning and memory."

b. "Glutamate is essential to sleep and muscle functioning."

c. "Glutamate is responsible for affective and cognitive functioning."

d. "Glutamate regulates the release of histamine and serotonin."

c. "Glutamate is responsible for affective and cognitive functioning."