MH Test 1 Chapter 4 UPDATED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
1. A patient asks a nurse, What are neurotransmitters? My doctor says mine are out of
balance. The best reply would be:
a. You must feel relieved to know that your problem has a physical basis.
b. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that pass messages between brain cells.
c. It is a high-level concept to explain. You should ask the doctor to tell you more.
d. Neurotransmitters are substances we eat daily that influence memory and mood. -
CORRECT ANSWER Ans: B
2. The parent of an adolescent diagnosed with schizophrenia asks a nurse, My childs doctor
ordered a positron-emission tomography (PET) scan. What is that? Select the nurses best
reply.
a. PET uses a magnetic field and gamma waves to identify problems areas in the brain. Does
your teenager have any metal implants?
b. Its a special type of x-ray image that shows structures of the brain and whether a brain
injury has ever occurred.
c. PET is a scan that passes an electrical current through the brain and shows brain wave
activity. PET can help diagnose seizures.
d. PET is a special scan that shows blood flow and activity in the brain. - CORRECT
ANSWER Ans: D
3. A patient has
dementia. The health care provider wants to make a differential diagnosis between
Alzheimer disease and multiple infarctions. Which diagnostic procedure should a nurse
expect to prepare the patient for first?
a. Computed tomography (CT) scan
b. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
c. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
, d. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan - CORRECT
ANSWER Ans: A
4. A patient has delusions and hallucinations. Before beginning treatment with a psychotropic
medication, the health care provider wants to rule out the presence of a brain tumor. For
which test will a nurse need to prepare the patient?
a. Cerebral arteriogram
b. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
c. Computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
d. Positron
emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) -
CORRECT ANSWER Ans: C
5. The nurse wants to
assess for disturbances in circadian rhythms in a patient admitted for major depressive
disorder. Which question best implements this assessment?
a. Do you ever see or hear things that others do not?
b. Do you have problems with short-term memory?
c. What are your worst and best times of day?
d. How would you describe your thinking? - CORRECT ANSWER Ans: C
6. A nurse administers a medication that potentiates the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid
(GABA). Which finding would be expected?
a. Reduced anxiety
b. Improved memory
c. More organized thinking
d. Fewer sensory perceptual alterations - CORRECT ANSWER Ans: A
7. On the basis of current knowledge of neurotransmitter effects, a nurse anticipates that the
treatment plan for a patient with memory difficulties may include medications designed to: a.
inhibit GABA production.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
1. A patient asks a nurse, What are neurotransmitters? My doctor says mine are out of
balance. The best reply would be:
a. You must feel relieved to know that your problem has a physical basis.
b. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that pass messages between brain cells.
c. It is a high-level concept to explain. You should ask the doctor to tell you more.
d. Neurotransmitters are substances we eat daily that influence memory and mood. -
CORRECT ANSWER Ans: B
2. The parent of an adolescent diagnosed with schizophrenia asks a nurse, My childs doctor
ordered a positron-emission tomography (PET) scan. What is that? Select the nurses best
reply.
a. PET uses a magnetic field and gamma waves to identify problems areas in the brain. Does
your teenager have any metal implants?
b. Its a special type of x-ray image that shows structures of the brain and whether a brain
injury has ever occurred.
c. PET is a scan that passes an electrical current through the brain and shows brain wave
activity. PET can help diagnose seizures.
d. PET is a special scan that shows blood flow and activity in the brain. - CORRECT
ANSWER Ans: D
3. A patient has
dementia. The health care provider wants to make a differential diagnosis between
Alzheimer disease and multiple infarctions. Which diagnostic procedure should a nurse
expect to prepare the patient for first?
a. Computed tomography (CT) scan
b. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
c. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
, d. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan - CORRECT
ANSWER Ans: A
4. A patient has delusions and hallucinations. Before beginning treatment with a psychotropic
medication, the health care provider wants to rule out the presence of a brain tumor. For
which test will a nurse need to prepare the patient?
a. Cerebral arteriogram
b. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
c. Computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
d. Positron
emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) -
CORRECT ANSWER Ans: C
5. The nurse wants to
assess for disturbances in circadian rhythms in a patient admitted for major depressive
disorder. Which question best implements this assessment?
a. Do you ever see or hear things that others do not?
b. Do you have problems with short-term memory?
c. What are your worst and best times of day?
d. How would you describe your thinking? - CORRECT ANSWER Ans: C
6. A nurse administers a medication that potentiates the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid
(GABA). Which finding would be expected?
a. Reduced anxiety
b. Improved memory
c. More organized thinking
d. Fewer sensory perceptual alterations - CORRECT ANSWER Ans: A
7. On the basis of current knowledge of neurotransmitter effects, a nurse anticipates that the
treatment plan for a patient with memory difficulties may include medications designed to: a.
inhibit GABA production.
