Download ATI MENTAL HEALTH (BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDERS) ||2025-2026||VERSION. Qs&As and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity!
ATI MENTAL HEALTH (BORDERLINE
PERSONALITY DISORDERS) || 2025 - 2026 ||VERSION
WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS||A+ GRADE ASSURED
The nurse is assessing a client who is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Which client statement indicates the client is at risk for self-injurious behavior? A) "I have felt so down lately. I don't enjoy doing anything anymore." B) "I do what I do because others tell me to do so." C) "When I feel extremely anxious, it is like my mind goes somewhere else." D) "It is almost as if as soon as I think of doing something, I immediately do it." A woman with borderline personality disorder has been admitted to the inpatient unit because she has been engaging in wrist cutting. The client's sister is visiting, and she asks the nurse to explain why the client sometimes does this to herself. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate? A) "Sometimes the self-injurious behavior is undertaken to relieve stress." B) "Self-injurious behavior often calms and sedates people with this diagnosis." C) "Sometimes they do it to avoid the onslaught of delusional thinking." D) "The self-mutilation often slows the mood swings your sister experiences." A nurse has explained some of the biologic theories of causation to a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and his family. The nurse determines that the client and family have understood the instructions when they state which of the following? A) "The disorder may be caused by increased serotonin activity." B) "The disorder is caused by decreased dopamine activity in my brain." C) "A frontal lobe dysfunction may be causing this condition." D) "A decrease in hormonal substances increases the risk for this illness." A nurse is assessing a client who has borderline personality disorder. Which of the following would be a priority? A) Nutrition patterns B) Personal hygiene practices C) Physical functioning D) Somatic complaints A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder tells the nurse that she "frequently spaces out." Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate? A) "Do you feel stressed most of the time?" B) "Does this frighten you when it happens?" C) "What's happening around you when this occurs?" D) "Do you feel as if you are out of your body?"
A nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The nurse has instructed the client about using the communication triad. The nurse determines that the client has understood this technique when he states which of the following? A) "I should start by stating my feelings as an 'I' statement." B) "Maybe I should start by describing the situation that has me upset." C) "I should first tell the other person what I'd like to be different about the situation." D) "I should begin by telling the other person what has triggered my emotion." A client with borderline personality disorder tells a nurse, "I'm afraid to get on a train because we'll probably get into a wreck." Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate? A) “Have you had a bad experience riding a train?" B) "What are the chances of that actually happening?" C) "Now, you know that won't happen." D) "Have you thought about going by automobile?" A nursing instructor is preparing a class discussion on personality disorders and characteristics. Which term would the instructor include to differentiate personality disorders from normal personality? Select all that apply. A) Inflexible B) Short term C) Pervasive D) Unstable over time E) Distressing A group of nursing students is reviewing possible risk factors for development of borderline personality disorder. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as a risk factor? Select all that apply. A) Childhood sexual abuse B) Parental loss C) Substance abuse D) Family history E) Genetics A nurse is assessing a client with borderline personality disorder. Which question would be most appropriate to assess the client's level of impulsivity? A) "What things bother you and what things make you feel happy?" B) "Have you ever felt sorry after acting as you did on the spur of the moment?" C) "How do you view other people around you?" D) "Have you ever felt like you were separated from your body?"
Which client statement most accurately reflects the cognitive dysfunction associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD)? A) "I was a total failure at my new job." B) "Sometimes things are not always clear cut." C) "At least some good came out of my trying." D) "You need to look at things in perspective." A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a female client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Which of the following would the nurse identify as one of the strongest risk factors for this disorder? A) Abuse as a child B) Parental alcohol abuse C) Poverty D) History of depression A client with borderline personality disorder (BPD) tells the nurse, "You are good but the nurse on the afternoon shift is bad. The doctor is bad, too, but the therapist is good." The nurse interprets this statement as reflecting which of the following? A) Splitting B) Identity diffusion C) Dissociation D) Cognitive schema A nurse is preparing to assess a client with a paranoid personality trait. The nurse integrates knowledge of this condition, anticipating that the client's affect and behavior will most likely be which of the following? A) Angry and hostile B) Flirtatious and seductive C) Fearful and anxious D) Friendly and open A nurse is caring for a client with schizoid personality trait. When developing a plan of care for the client, which of the following would a nurse most likely include? A) Social skills training B) Anger management training C) Relaxation techniques D) Coping skills training A nursing instructor is preparing an education plan about antisocial personality disorder for a class of nursing students. Which of the following would the nurse include as a term often used to describe the behaviors associated with this condition? Select all that apply. A) Psychopath B) Manipulator C) Criminality D) Sociopath E) Psychotic
A nurse is reading a journal article about the various theories associated with the development of antisocial personality disorder. The article mentions difficult temperament as a possible theory. The nurse demonstrates understanding of this concept when identifying which of the following as a key behavior associated with a difficult temperament? Select all that apply. A) Aggression B) Inattention C) Hyperactivity D) Impulsivity E) Depression F) Paranoia A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder who has been admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit. Which of the following would the nurse most likely include? Select all that apply. A) Developing a therapeutic relationship B) Bargaining about the unit rules C) Holding the client responsible for behavior D) Discouraging client from discussing thoughts E) Using a firm, lecture-like approach for teaching A nurse is working with the family of a client who has been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Which of the following would be most important for the nurse to focus on when teaching the family about this disorder? A) Anger management B) Boundary setting C) Medication therapy D) Self-responsibility A group of nursing students is reviewing information about antisocial personality disorder. The students demonstrate understanding of this disorder when they state which of the following? A) The disorder occurs more frequently in women. B) The individual must be at least 18 years of age. C) The disorder is found primarily in Asian individuals. D) Alcohol abuse disorder rarely accompanies this disorder. A nurse is providing care to a client with antisocial personality disorder. As part of the plan of care, the client is to participate in a problem-solving group. The nurse understands that this intervention is effective based on which rationale? A) It requires the client to develop attachments. B) It sets up specific boundaries for the client. C) It helps to reinforce self- responsibility. D) It avoids confrontation about dysfunctional patterns.
A nurse is describing histrionic personality disorder to a group of new nurses. Which term would the nurse most likely use? A) Attention seeking B) Psychopath C) Sociopath D) Lacking empathy A nurse is working with the parents of a child with a conduct disorder and teaching them how to use "time out." Which statement by the parents indicates that they have understood the information? A) "We should put him in a chair in the corner of the room, away from all to see." B) "The time starts as soon as he begins the behavior." C) "We should keep him in time out for about 5 minutes." D) "He needs to say why he is going to time out before we put him there." After reviewing information about different personality disorders, a group of nursing students demonstrates understanding when they identify which of the following as associated with schizoid personality disorder? A) Introverted B) Overly friendly C) Highly social D) Exuberant A nurse is conducting an in-service program on personality disorders. When describing obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which characteristics would the nurse most likely include? Select all that apply. A) Preoccupation with control B) Inability to delay rewards C) Strict attention to rules D) Difficulty with decision making E) Relationships primarily formal and polite A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Which of the following would the nurse identify as having increased the client's risk forthis condition? A) Conduct disorder at age 12 B) History of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) C) Hispanic American cultural background D) Female gender with alcohol use disorder
A nurse is assessing a client who is reported to have a difficult temperament. Which of the following behaviors would the nurse expect to assess? Select all that apply. A) Aggression B) Inattention C) Hypoactivity D) Impulsivity E) Talkativeness A nurse is working with a client diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. The nurse needs to keep in mind which of the following about the therapeutic relationship? A) The goal is to alleviate dysfunctional thinking. B) The relationship initially is superficial because of a lack of client commitment. C) The client uses the relationship to change the problem behavior. D) The client continuously focuses on new topics during the relationship. Chapter 23 A client is admitted to a mental health unit with a diagnosis of factitious disorder. When reviewing the client's history, which of the following would a nurse most likely find? A) Intentional self-injurious behavior B) Pain to achieve a self-serving goal C) Malingering to avoid work D) Parents who were restrictive While assessing a client thought to have a factitious disorder, a nurse asks the client to describe when she felt nurtured as a child. Which response would the nurse interpret as supporting the client's diagnosis? A) "I never felt nurtured or loved when I was growing up." B) "The only time I felt loved and appreciated was when I made the honor roll at school." C) "The only time I ever felt loved was when I was sick enough to miss school." D) "I felt loved and accepted when my father apologized for spanking me so hard." A nursing instructor is preparing a class about functional neurologic symptoms. Which of the following would the instructor most likely include as an assessment finding? Select all that apply. A) Difficulty swallowing B) Spasticity C) Urinary frequency D) Aphonia E) Blindness A client is admitted to a mental health unit because she was found trying to inject diluted feces into her hospitalized child's intravenous line. The client has a history of similar attempts of harming the child. The nurse would most likely suspect which of the following? A) Schizoid personality traits B) Factitious disorder imposed on another
A client with somatic symptom disorder (SSD) also has anxiety. Which of the following would the nurse expect to be prescribed? A) Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) C) Tricyclic antidepressant (TCAs) D) Atypical antipsychotic A nurse is caring for a client with somatic symptom disorder. When assessing this client, the nurse would be especially alert for symptoms of which of the following? A) Depression B) Avoidant personality disorder C) Delirium D) Bipolar disorder A nursing instructor is describing somatic symptom disorder to a group of nursing students. The instructor determines that the education was successful when the students state which of the following? A) The disorder typically is diagnosed in men. B) The first symptom usually appears during adolescence. C) The disorder commonly occurs with substance abuse. D) Highly educated individuals often develop this disorder. The husband of a client diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder asks the nurse, "What causes this condition?" Which response by the nurse would be most accurate? A) "There is definitely an underlying genetic link for this disorder." B) "Your wife is experiencing chronic stress that causes hypoarousal." C) "The symptoms reflect an emotion that your wife cannot verbalize." D) "The symptoms reflect an internal preoccupation with events." A nurse is preparing to interview a client diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. The nurse anticipates that the client will most likely exhibit which of the following? A) No facial expression during the interview B) Intermittent nodding and glancing at the clock on the wall C) Altered mental status D) Rapidly changing moods during the interview A female client with pain who has been diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder and depression is prescribed medication therapy to treat both the pain and the symptoms of depression. When educating the client about the medication, which of the following would the nurse emphasize? A) Use of sunscreen when exposed to bright sunlight B) Limiting of the amount of water ingested C) Avoiding foods such as aged cheeses D) Stopping the medication if there is no change after 1 week
After teaching a client who is prescribed phenelzine for treatment of somatic symptom disorder, the nurse determines that additional education is needed when the client states which of the following? A) "I can take an over-the-counter medicine for my hay fever." B) "I should avoid alcohol when I take this drug." C) "I should not stop taking the drug abruptly." D) "I need to report any panic attacks or irritability." A nurse is providing care for a client who has somatic symptom disorder and is exhibiting anxiety about having a severe illness. Which of the following would be appropriate for the nurse to do? Select all that apply. A) Listen closely to the client's report of symptoms. B) Ignore the client's report of symptoms and make a professional nursing assessment. C) Acknowledge that what the client is saying may be real. D) Encourage the client to write down symptoms in a journal. E) Review the symptom pattern with the client. A nurse is evaluating the outcomes for a client diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. Which of the following would the nurse most likely identify as interfering with achievement? A) Outcomes were stated in realistic terms B) Outcomes addressed overall issues C) Outcomes indicated small successes D) Outcomes identified specific behaviors A nurse is working with a client diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. Which of the following would the nurse identify as the most difficult aspect of providing care to this client? A) Managing the client's pain B) Relieving the client's anxiety C) Developing the therapeutic relationship D) Monitoring the client's treatment program A nurse is assisting in planning a series of group therapy sessions with several female clients diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. The nurse plans to focus the sessions on which of the following as a priority? A) Causes of medical illnesses B) Positive self-talk C) Side effects of medications D) Assertiveness skills Chapter 24 While caring for a client with anorexia nervosa, a nurse anticipates that the client would have difficulty making which of the following comments? A) "I'm mad at you because you won't let me go on a pass unless I gain weight!" B) "I need to have everything in its place and perfect." C) "If I gain a pound, I'll just keep gaining weight." D) "I am very involved in preparing my food and counting calories."
A psychiatric–mental health nurse working in the community is planning an educational program for fifth- and sixth-grade teachers. Which of the following would the nurse include? A) Discussion of strategies the teachers can use to counteract the role media plays in encouraging eating disorders B) Emphasis on the need for teachers to focus their prevention efforts on female students C) Stressing the need to allow students to eat without undue attention or supervision in order to prevent inadvertently influencing eating patterns D) Clarification that peer pressure is not typically problematic in children who are in the fifth and sixth grades A nurse is initiating a group for adolescent girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Many of the clients in the group are irritable and resent having to attend. One of them comments, "This is a stupid waste of time!" Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate? A) "If you feel that way, then you can just leave." B) "You sound irritated; tell me about what is bothering you." C) "You were assigned to this group by your therapist, so you must participate." D) "Sit down and be quiet; your peers would appreciate some peace and quiet." An adolescent is brought to the emergency department by her parents because they were concerned about their daughter's appearance. The client appears emaciated and pale. The parents tell the nurse that the client has been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. A history, physical examination, and laboratory testing are completed. Which of the following would lead the nurse to suspect that the client will be admitted to the hospital? Select all that apply. A) Blood pressure of 110/60 mm Hg B) Elevated serum potassium concentration C) Decreased serum magnesium concentration D) Heart rate of 40 beats/min E) Statements of being "hopeless" A group of nursing students is reviewing the similarities and differences between bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (BED). The students demonstrate understanding when they identify which characteristics as specific to BED? Select all that apply. A) Clients typically are obese. B) Clients refrain from purging behaviors. C) Binge-eating periods are shorter. D) Clients engage in overexercising. E) Feelings of guilt do not occur after binging. A nursing instructor is reviewing the various theories related to anorexia nervosa. Which of the following would the instructor include when describing theories related to the biologic domain? Select all that apply. A) Genetic vulnerability B) Separation-individuation C) Role pressures D) Dieting leading to starvation E) Pursuit of thinness
F) Decreased serotonin activity A nurse is preparing a presentation for a local middle school health class about eating disorders as a means for prevention and early detection. Which of the following would the nurse incorporate into the presentation as being common to both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa? Select all that apply. A) Body dissatisfaction B) Feelings of control C) Obsessiveness D) Boundary problems E) Sexuality fears F) Cognitive distortions A nurse is reviewing the plan of care for a client with anorexia nervosa and notes a behavioral plan for increasing weight. The nurse correlates this intervention with which nursing diagnosis? A) Disturbed Body Image B) Anxiety C) Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements D) Ineffective Coping A nurse is interviewing a client diagnosed with bulimia nervosa about her family and her relationship with her mother. Which statement by the client would the nurse least likely associate with bulimia nervosa? A) "My mother is my confidante for everything." B) "My mother's happiness depends on me." C) "My family basically has very few rules." D) "My mother and I are close but not joined at the hip." A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client newly diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. Which of the following would the nurse expect to implement in conjunction with pharmacologic therapy? A) Behavioral therapy B) Cognitive behavioral therapy C) Interpersonal therapy D) Family therapy While talking with a client with an eating disorder, the client states, "I've gained 2 pounds, so I'll be up by 100 pounds soon." The nurse interprets this as which of the following? A) Magnification B) Selective abstraction C) Overgeneralization D) Dichotomous thinking
C) Ear acupressure is a highly proven method for quitting. D) The drug varenicline is widely used among patients with psychiatric disorders. A nurse is completing the admission of a client who is seeking treatment for alcoholism. He tells the nurse that the last time he had any alcohol to drink was at 10 a.m., before he left for the hospital. The nurse closely monitors the client. Which of the following would lead the nurse to suspect that the client is experiencing stage 1 of alcohol withdrawal syndrome? Select all that apply. A) Slight diaphoresis B) Hand tremors C) Intermittent confusion D) Heart rate of 135 beats/min E) Normal blood pressure A nurse is talking with a client 57 years of age who has been a heavy drinker for many years. The client is being treated for alcoholism, and this is her second week as an inpatient on the psychiatric unit. It is 5 a.m. and the client has been having difficulty sleeping. The client is an orthopedic nurse, and although she is clothed in a hospital-issued gown and robe, she is wearing a stethoscope around her neck that the nurse recognizes as belonging to one of the staff nurses. When the nurse asks her why she is wearing the stethoscope and where she got it, the client gives her a long and involved reply that describes how her nursing supervisor came to visit and gave it to her to wear "so she'd remember to get well." The nurse suspects that the client may be experiencing which of the following? A) Wernicke's syndrome B) Delirium tremens C) Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome D) Malignant hyperthermia A nurse is using motivational therapy with a female client suffering from alcoholism. The client, who is unwilling to consider changing her drinking behavior, emphatically states, "I am not an alcoholic; you can't make me stop drinking." Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate? A) "You have to stop drinking and driving. You could kill someone." B) "You're right. You are not an alcoholic." C) "You should consider what you are doing to your marital relationship." D) "You're the only one who can make yourself stop drinking." A nurse is working with a client who is addicted to heroin. The nurse engages in harm reduction by educating the client about which of the following? A) Needle exchange programs B) Problem solving C) Healthy coping skills D) Proper use of naltrexone
A man 20 years of age arrives at the emergency department by ambulance. He is unconscious, with slow respirations and pinpoint pupils. There are "tracks" visible on his arms. The friend who came with him reports that the client had just "shot up" heroin when he became unconscious. Which medication would the nurse most likely expect to administer? A) Naloxone B) Naltrexone C) Bupropion D) Varenicline A nurse is obtaining a history from a client who drinks about six cups of coffee and several diet cola drinks per day. The client states, "I just cut down my coffee and soda intake to one per day." Which of the following would the nurse most likely expect to assess? Select all that apply. A) Headache B) Fatigue C) Yawning D) Flushing E) Diuresis A group of nursing students is reviewing information about substances that are abused. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as stimulants? Select all that apply. A) Alcohol B) Cocaine C) Heroin D) Nicotine E) Phencyclidine A client has been prescribed naltrexone for treatment of alcohol dependence. The nurse has explained the drug's purpose to the client. The nurse determines that the client has understood the instructions when the client identifies which of the following about the drug? A) Causes itching if alcohol is consumed B) Produces the euphoria of alcohol C) Reduces the appeal of alcohol D) Improves appetite and nutritional status An adolescent client tells a nurse that he or she occasionally "sniffs airplane glue." When discussing the effects of long-term use of inhalants, which of the following would the nurse most likely include? A) Tremors and central nervous system arousal B) Enhanced normal heart rhythms C) Enhanced attention on focus and memory D) Brain damage and cognitive abnormalities
D) Proper use of naltrexone A man 20 years of age arrives at the emergency department by ambulance. He is unconscious, with slow respirations and pinpoint pupils. There are "tracks" visible on his arms. The friend who came with him reports that the client had just "shot up" heroin when he became unconscious. Which medication would the nurse most likely expect to administer? A) Naloxone B) Naltrexone C) Bupropion D) Varenicline A nurse is obtaining a history from a client who drinks about six cups of coffee and several diet cola drinks per day. The client states, "I just cut down my coffee and soda intake to one per day." Which of the following would the nurse most likely expect to assess? Select all that apply. A) Headache B) Fatigue C) Yawning D) Flushing E) Diuresis A group of nursing students is reviewing information about substances that are abused. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as stimulants? Select all that apply. A) Alcohol B) Cocaine C) Heroin D) Nicotine E) Phencyclidine A client is receiving methadone maintenance therapy. After teaching the client about this treatment, the nurse determines that the education was successful when the client states which of the following? A) "I can have a glass of wine with dinner if I choose." B) "I should eat small frequent meals if I get nauseated." C) "I should take the drug on an empty stomach." D) "I might experience diarrhea with this drug." A client with a history of alcohol abuse is participating in a 12 - step Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. The nurse determines that the client is at step 2 when he states which of the following? A) "I've admitted to myself and others the wrongdoings I've done." B) "I realize that there is a higher power that can help me." C) "I know now that I am powerless over alcohol." D) "I am making amends to all those that I've harmed."
A nurse is preparing an in-service program about substance abuse and its etiology. Which of the following would the nurse most likely include in the presentation when discussing possible etiologies? A) Mixed self-esteem B) Genetic predisposition C) Dysfunctional family D) Peer influence A client is brought into the emergency department because he was involved in an automobile accident. His blood alcohol level (BAL) is 0.10 mg%. Based on this finding, the nurse would expect to assess which of the following? A) Difficulty with coordination B) Stupor C) Emotional lability D) Ataxia A client with a history of opioid abuse is exhibiting manifestations of moderate withdrawal. Which of the following would the nurse expect to assess? A) Rhinorrhea B) Lacrimation C) Dilated pupils D) Dysphoria A nurse is implementing a brief intervention with a client who is abusing alcohol. The nurse most likely would be involved with which of the following? A) Asking the client questions about alcohol use B) Negotiating a conversation with the client to reduce use C) Pointing out the inconsistencies in thoughts, feelings, and actions D) Helping the client change the way he thinks about a situation A client with a history of substance abuse is a member of a skills training group. Which of the following would the client be involved in to enhance intrapersonal coping skills? Select all that apply. A) Substance refusal skills B) Problem solving C) Anger awareness D) Emergency planning E) Social support networking A client is brought to the emergency department after having overdosed on cocaine. When assessing the client, which of the following would a nurse expect to find? Select all that apply. A) Euphoria B) Seizures C) Cardiac arrhythmia D) Paranoia E) Insomnia
