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Stahl's Essential
Psychopharmacology
Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications TESTBANK/STUDY GUIDE Chapter 1 Chemical neurotransmission MULTIPLE CHOICE
- A patient with depression mentions to the nurse, My mother says depression is a chemical disorder. What does she mean? The nurses response is based on the theory that depression primarily involves which of the following neurotransmitters? a. Cortisol and GABA b. COMT and glutamate c. Monamine and glycine d. Serotonin and norepinephrine ANS: D One possible cause of depression is thought to involve one or more neurotransmitters. Serotonin and norepinephrine have been found to be important in the regulation of depression. There is no research to support that the other options play a significant role in the development of depression.
- A patient has experienced a stroke (cerebral vascular accident) that has resulted in damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation does the nurse conduct to reinforce this diagnosis? a. Observing the patient pick up a spoon b. Asking the patient to recite the alphabet c. Monitoring the patients blood pressure d. Comparing the patients grip strength in both hands ANS: B Accidents or strokes that damage Brocas area may result in the inability to speak (i.e., motor aphasia). Fine motor skills, blood pressure control, and muscle strength are not controlled by the Broca area of the left frontal lobe.
- The patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic medications are always prescribed by the doctor. The nurses answer will be based on information that the therapeutic action of psychotropic drugs is the result of their effect on: a. The temporal lobe; especially Wernickes area b. Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially dopamine d. The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to the psychotropic medications
ANS: C
Medications used to treat psychiatric disorders operate in and around the synaptic cleft and have action at the neurotransmitter level, especially in the case of schizophrenia, on dopamine. The Wernickes area, dendrite function, or the sensitivity of the peripheral nervous system are not relevant to either schizophrenia or psychotropic medications.
- A student nurse mutters that it seems entirely unnecessary to have to struggle with understanding the anatomy and physiology of the neurologic system. The mentor would base a response on the understanding that it is: a. Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on behavioral interventions b. A complex undertaking that advance practice psychiatric nurses frequently use in their practice c. Important primarily for the nursing assessment of patients with brain traumacaused cognitive symptoms d. Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those experiencing psychiatric disorders ANS: D Nurses must understand that many symptoms of psychiatric disorders have a neurologic basis, although the symptoms are manifested behaviorally. This understanding facilitates effective care planning. The foundation of knowledge is not used exclusively by advanced practice psychiatric nurses nor is it relevant for only behavior therapies or brain trauma since dealing with the results of normal and abnormal brain function is a responsibility of all nurses providing all types of care to the psychiatric patient.
- A patient asks the nurse, My wife has breast cancer. Could it be caused by her chronic depression? Which response is supported by research data? a. Too much stress has been proven to cause all kinds of cancer. b. There have been no research studies done on stress and disease yet. c. Stress does cause the release of factors that suppress the immune system. d. There appears to be little connection between stress and diseases of the body ANS: C Research indicates that stress causes a release of corticotropin-releasing factors that suppress the immune system. Studies indicate that psychiatric disorders such as mood disorders are sometimes associated with decreased functioning of the immune system. Research does not support a connection between many cancers and stress. There is a significant amount of research about stress and the body. Research has shown that there are some connections between stress and physical disease.
ANS: D
The hippocampus plays a major role in short-term memory and, hence, in learning. Taking the medication as prescribed and providing the education at a time when the patient is calm and relaxed is information or considerations that all patients should be given. The medication does not necessarily need to be crushed or dissolved since the stroke would not have caused difficulty with swallowing.
- The physician tells the nurse, The medication Im prescribing for the patient enhances the g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. Which patient behavior will provide evidence that the medication therapy is successful? a. The patient is actively involved in playing cards with other patients. b. The patient reports that, I dont feel as anxious as I did a couple of days ago. c. The patient reports that both auditory and visual hallucinations have decreased. d. The patient says that, I am much happier than before I came to the hospital. ANS: B GABA is the principle inhibitory neurotransmitter. The medication should provide an antianxiety effect. Alertness, psychotic behaviors, and mood elevation are not generally affected by g-aminobutyric acid.
- The patients family asks whether a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease creates an increased risk for any mental health issues. What question would the nurse ask to assess for such a comorbid condition? a. Has your father exhibited any signs of depression? b. Does your father seem to experience mood swings? c. Have you noticed your father talking about seeing things you cant see? d. Is your dad preoccupied with behaviors that he needs to repeat over and over? ANS: A Serotonin and its close chemical relatives, dopamine and norepinephrine, are the neurotransmitters that are most widely involved in various forms of depression. Most researchers agree that the immediate cause of parkinsonism is a deficiency of dopamine and so a patient with Parkinsons disease should be monitored for depression, The other mental health disorders (bipolar disorder, hallucinations, and obsessive compulsive disorder) have not been connected to Parkinsons disease.
- Which explanation for the prescription of donepezil (Aricept) would the nurse provide for a patient in the early stage of Alzheimers disease? a. It will increase the metabolism of excess GABA. b. Excess dopamine will be prevented from attaching to receptor sites. c. Serotonin deficiency will be managed through a prolonged reuptake period. d. The acetylcholine deficiency will be managed by inhibiting cholinesterase.
Decreased levels of acetylcholine are thought to produce many of the behavioral symptoms of Alzheimers disease. The inhibiting action the drug has on cholinesterase will slow down the breakdown of acetylcholine and so delay the onset of symptoms. The other neurotransmitters (GABA, dopamine, and serotonin) are not currently believed to play a role in Alzheimers disease.
- There remains a stigma attached to psychiatric illnesses. The psychiatric nurse makes the greatest impact on this sociological problem when: a. Providing educational programming for patients and the public b. Arranging for adequate and appropriate social support for the patient c. Assisting the patient to achieve the maximum level of independent functioning d. Regularly praising the patient for seeking and complying with appropriate treatment ANS: A Much of the stigma attached to psychiatric illness is due to a lack of understanding of the biologic basis of these disorders. Therefore, effective patient, family, and public teaching is an important function of the role of the psychiatric mental health nurse. While the remaining options are appropriate, they are not directed towards eliminating social stigma but rather empowering the patient.
- The wife of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia tells the nurse, Ive learned that my husband has several close relatives with the same disorder. Does this problem run in families? The response based on recent discoveries in the field of genetics would be: a. Your children should be monitored closely for the disorder. b. Research tends to support a familiar tendency to schizophrenia. c. There is no concrete evidence; it is just as likely a coincidence. d. Only bipolar disorder has been identified to have a genetic component. ANS: B Familial tendencies appear with several psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. To insinuate that the children are at such risk would not be supported by research.
- A patient whose symptoms of mild depression have been managed with antidepressants is concerned about the affect of accepting a promotion that will require working the night shift. What will be the basis of the response the nurse gives to address the patients concern? a. The connection between a new job and possible depression does exist. b. The medication can be adjusted to manage any increase in depression. c. The interruption in normal wake-sleep patterns can influence mood disorders.
c. Learning about healthy sleep hygiene habits d. Monitoring and recording temperature every 4 hours e. Monitoring and recording blood pressure every 4 hours ANS: B, C, D The hypothalamus is responsible for regulation of sleep-rest patterns, body temperature, and physical drives of hunger. Social appropriateness and blood pressure is not controlled by the hypothalamus.
- The nurse is preparing a patient for a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Which instructions will the nurse include? Select all that apply. a. There will likely be a 30 to 45 minute wait between the injection and the beginning of the scan. b. A blindfold and earplugs may be used to help decrease reaction to the environment during the scan. c. Make every attempt to lie still during the scan because movement will affect the imaging produced. d. No food or fluids are to be ingested for at least 8 full hours before the scan and none during the scan. e. Staying awake during the scan is important since the results are altered when the patient is in any phase of the sleep state. ANS: A, B, C, E Appropriate patient preparation for a PET scan would include information regarding the time interval between injection of the isotope and the actual scan, the fact that steps will be taken to minimize the effects of sights and sounds during the scan, lying still is critical to achieving a quality image, and that being asleep during the scan will alter the results. It is not necessary to fast before or during the scan.
- A patient with schizophrenia is described as having difficulty with executive functions. What patient dysfunction can the nurse expect to assess behaviorally? Select all that apply. a. Invades the personal space of others frequently b. Consistently fails to bring money when going to buy snacks c. Cannot remember the names of staff who often provide care d. Requires repeated reinforcement on how to make a sandwich e. Frequently speaks of hurting himself or of hurting other patients ANS: A, B, D Executive functions include reasoning, planning, prioritizing, sequencing behavior, insight, flexibility, judgment, focusing on tasks, responding to social cues, and attending in appropriate ways to incoming stimuli. Memory is not considered an
executive function and risk for harm to self and others is not generally a diagnosis appropriate for such a patient.
- The unit physicians have ordered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests for the following patients. For which patients would the nurse decline to make test arrangements without further discussion with the physician? Select all that apply. a. A patient who is claustrophobic b. A patient who is breastfeeding c. A patient who has an allergy to iodine d. A patient who had a total knee replacement e. A patient who is taking a neuroleptic medication ANS: A, D Patients with claustrophobia are often unable to complete this type of study, because the MRI machine is enclosed, and patients are required to remain motionless. Metal implants are contraindications for MRIs since metal affects the scan. Breastfeeding, iodine sensitivity, and neuroleptic medication therapy are not contraindications for an MRI.
- Chemical synapses rely on in order to provide communication between neurons. A) diffusion B) gap junctions C) satellite cells D) transmitter molecules
ANS.D
The blood-brain and CSF-brain barriers control the chemical environment of the brain by allowing easy entrance to only a few chemicals that include: A) oxygen. B) protein. C) glutamate. D) potassium.
ANS.A
The perception of where a stimulus is in space and in relation to body parts is a function of the: A) occipital lobe. B) parietal lobe. C) hypothalamus. D) prefrontal cortex.
ANS.B
The pia mater is a connective tissue sheath that covers the spinal cord and also contains: A) spinal fluid. B) fibrocartilage. C) blood vessels. D) segmental nerves. ANS.B
- Which of the following is the neurotransmitter for most postganglion sympathetic neurons? A) Enkephalin B) Glutamic acid C) Catecholamines D) Acetylcholine
ANS.C
In contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, the functions of the parasympathetic nervous system include: A) sweating. B) anabolism. C) pupil dilation. D) vasoconstriction.
ANS.B
Which of the following substances provides the majority of the fuel needs of the neurologic system? A) Glycogen B) Glucose C) Amino acids D) Triglycerides
ANS.B
A 60-year-old woman has been recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the oligodendrocytes of the patients central nervous system (CNS) are progressively destroyed. Which physiologic process within the neurologic system is most likely be affected by this disease process? A) Oxygen metabolism B) Neurotransmitter synthesis C) Nerve conduction D) Production of cerebrospinal fluid
ANS.D
- A patient has required mechanical ventilation following a traumatic head injury sustained in a motorcycle crash, during which he sustained damage to his respiratory center. Which of the patients brain structures has been injured? A) Brain stem B) Midbrain C) Diencephalon D) Frontal lobe
ANS.A
A patient with a diagnosis of epilepsy has required surgical removal of part of her prefrontal cortex. Which of the following effects should her family and care team anticipate? A) Lapses in balance and coordination B) Deficits in regulation of the endocrine system C) Sensory losses D) Changes in behavior and judgment
ANS.D
A patients primary care provider has prescribed a b-adrenergic receptor blocker. Which of the following therapeutic effects do the patient and care provider likely seek? A) Reduction in heart rate and blood pressure B) Slowing of gastrointestinal motility C) Increase in mental acuity D) Decreased production of gastric acid
ANS.A
Neurotrophic factors contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis in which of the following ways? A) By catalyzing the effects of neurotransmitters B) By increasing the sensitivity of receptors on postsynaptic cells C) By promoting the growth and survival of neurons D) By selectively increasing or decreasing the release of neurotransmitters ANS. C
Chapter 3 Ion channels as targets of psychopharmacological drug action
A nurse is teaching a medication class to a group of psychiatric patients. One of them asks the nurse why he has so much more trouble learning now when hes in his 60s than he did when he was younger. Which of the following concepts would the nurse integrate into the response? A) The extrapyramidal motor system B) The amygdala C) Neuroplasticity D) Psychoneuroimmunology
ANS.C
Which of the following would a nursing instructor identify when describing the area of the brain involved with verbal language function, including areas for both receptive and expressive speech? A) Right hemisphere B) Parietal lobe C) Occipital lobe D) Left hemisphere
ANS.D
A nurse is developing a plan of care for a patient experiencing expressive aphasia. The nurse incorporates knowledge that the patient most likely has sustained damage to which of the following? A) The postcentral gyrus B) Brocas area C) Basal ganglia D) The hippocampus
ANS.B
The nurse is caring for an older adult who has experienced damage to the frontal lobe after an automobile accident. The nurse anticipates that the patient will have difficulty with which of the following? A) Smell
D) Motor activity
ANS.A
A patient who is scheduled to undergo a sleep deprivation electroencephalogram (EEG) in the morning is experiencing moderate anxiety about the procedure. Based on an understanding of this test, which of the following would the nurse avoid? A) Explaining in depth what to expect during the upcoming procedure B) Administering a benzodiazepine medication prescribed for anxiety C) Taking a thorough history of her use of prescribed and illicit drugs D) Giving her a noncaffeinated beverage of her choice
ANS.B
A nursing instructor asks a student to explain the influence of chronobiology on depression. Which of the following would the student include when responding? A) The exact location of genes leads to identifying the gene responsible for causing depression. B) A break in the corpus coliseum blocks information exchange between the right and left hemispheres. C) Damage to the posterior areas of the parietal lobe leads to altered discriminative sensory function. D) Internal and external triggers can elicit biologic rhythm changes indicative of clinical depression.
ANS.D
When describing the various neurotransmitters, which of the following would the nurse identify as the primary cholinergic neurotransmitter? A) Dopamine B) Acetylcholine C) Norepinephrine
D) Serotonin
ANS.B
A group of nursing students are reviewing the various neurotransmitters. The students demonstrate understanding when they identify which of the following as a neuropeptide? A) Melatonin B) Serotonin C) Glutamate D) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
ANS.A
The nurse is assessing a patient experiencing anxiety and observes increased sweating and gooseflesh. The nurse understands that these are the result of which substance? A) Acetylcholine B) Norepinephrine C) Serotonin D) Histamine
ANS.B
A nurse is developing a plan of care for a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. The nurse integrates knowledge of this disorder, identifying which neurotransmitter as being primarily involved? A) Acetylcholine B) Dopamine C) Norepinephrine D) Serotonin ANS.B
C) Evaluation electrical impulses recorded on graph paper D) Exposure to a flashing strobe light to elicit abnormal activity
ANS.A
A patient with depression tells the nurse that he is to have a test that involves the recording of an electroencephalogram (EEG) throughout the night. The nurse most likely identifies this testing as which of the following? A) Sleep deprivation EEG B) Polysomnography C) Evoked potentials D) Functional magnetic resonance imaging
ANS.B
A group of nursing students are reviewing the role of serotonin in psychiatric disorders. The students demonstrate a need for additional study when they identify which disorder as being associated with its dysfunction? A) Depression B) Obsessive-compulsive disorder C) Panic disorder D) Schizophrenia
ANS.D
When describing neuronal transmission, an instructor describes the area where the electrical intracellular signal becomes a chemical one. The instructor is describing which of the following? A) Soma B) Synaptic cleft C) Terminal D) Receptor site ANS.B Chapter 4 Psychosis and schizophrenia
MULTIPLE CHOICE
- A newly admitted patient has the diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia. Which behavior observed in the patient supports that diagnosis? a. Uses a rhyming form of speech b. Refuses to eat any unwrapped foods c. Laughs when watching a sad movie d. Maintains an immobilized state for hours ANS: D Catatonic schizophrenia is characterized by extremes of psychomotor activity ranging from frenzied behavior to immobilization and may include echopraxia and posturing. Paranoid thinking is characteristic of paranoid schizophrenia. Inappropriate affect and clanging are seen in disorganized schizophrenia.
- What would be an appropriate short-term outcome for a patient diagnosed with residual schizophrenia who exhibits ambivalence? a. Decide their own daily schedule. b. Decide which unit groups they will attend. c. Choose which clinic staff member to work with. d. Choose between two outfits to wear each morning. ANS: D An early step would be to make choices about nonthreatening matters when presented with limited alternatives. The remaining options represent decisions that are too complicated for the patient to make initially.
- What is the priority nursing diagnosis for a catatonic patient? a. Ineffective coping b. Impaired physical mobility c. Impaired social interaction d. Risk for deficient fluid volume ANS: D The highest priority for the patient is maintenance of basic physiologic needs, such as hydration. Mobility is of lesser physiological importance than fluid volume. The remaining options do not have priority over a physiological need.
- Which nursing diagnosis is appropriate for a patient who insists being called Your Highness and demonstrates loosely associated thoughts? a. Risk for violence b. Defensive coping c. Impaired memory
