NU 646 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF
PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE SOLUTION 2026
SOLVED ITEMS CONFIRMED A+
◉ Your FIRST action in managing a patient with an altered mental
status should be to:
• A:determine if the patient is breathing adequately.
• B:administer one tube of oral glucose.
• C:administer high-flow supplemental oxygen.
• D:ask a family member how the patient normally acts. Answer: You
selected A; This is correct!
Reason:When treating a patient with an altered mental status, you
must first ensure a patent airway and determine if the patient is
breathing adequately. If the patient is breathing adequately,
administer supplemental oxygen and continue your assessment. If
the patient is not breathing adequately (ie, fast or slow rate, shallow
breathing [reduced tidal volume]), assist his or her ventilations. It is
important to ask a family member, if available, how the patient
normally acts; this will help establish a baseline. Before
administering oral glucose, you should assess the patient's blood
glucose level to determine if hypoglycemia is the cause of his or her
problem and then decide if the patient is able to swallow the
glucose, if indicated. If the patient is unable to swallow, do not
,administer oral glucose, even if he or she is hypoglycemic. Request a
paramedic ambulance if possible so the patient can receive
intravenous glucose.
◉ A patient who overdosed on methamphetamine would be
expected to have all of the following clinical signs, EXCEPT:
• A:agitation.
• B:hypertension.
• C:dilated pupils.
• D:bradycardia. Answer: You selected C; The correct answer is D;
Reason:Methamphetamine, an upper, stimulates the central nervous
system, causing it to release excessive amounts of adrenaline
(epinephrine). Epinephrine increases heart rate and blood pressure;
therefore, the patient would experience tachycardia and
hypertension. Other signs of methamphetamine overdose, which
also indicate an adrenaline surge, include pupillary dilation,
agitation, and hyperthermia. Bradycardia would be expected in
patients who have overdosed on drugs that suppress, not stimulate,
the central nervous system (eg, narcotics, benzodiazepines,
barbiturates).
◉ A 50-year-old woman with a history of epilepsy is actively seizing.
Care for this patient should focus primarily on:
• A:protecting her from injury and ensuring adequate ventilation.
,• B:administering high-flow oxygen and requesting an ALS
ambulance.
• C:frequently suctioning her airway and carefully restraining her.
• D:placing a bite block in between her molars and giving her
oxygen. Answer: You selected A; This is correct!
Reason:Seizure deaths are most frequently the result of hypoxia.
When a person is actively seizing, he or she is not breathing
adequately. Your primary focus when treating a seizure patient is to
protect him or her from injury and to ensure adequate ventilation
and oxygenation. Many seizing patients require assisted ventilation.
Suction the oropharynx only if the patient has secretions in his or
her mouth. Do NOT insert anything into the mouth of a seizing
patient; doing so may cause an airway obstruction or damage the
soft tissues of the mouth, resulting in bleeding. Do not attempt to
restrain an actively seizing patient; doing so may result in
musculoskeletal injuries. Request an ALS ambulance per your local
protocols.
◉ When you arrive at a residence for a man who is "not acting right,"
you enter the house and find him sitting on his couch. Which of the
following findings would be MOST indicative of an altered mental
status?
• A:Slurred speech.
• B:Tired appearance.
• C:Odor of alcohol.
, • D:Eyes are closed. Answer: You selected A; This is correct!
Reason:Often, an altered mental status can be difficult to assess,
especially if you do not know how the patient normally acts.
However, there are key findings that should increase your index of
suspicion. An abnormal speech pattern, such as slurring or
incoherent words, can be the result of a diabetic problem, alcohol
intoxication, or drug ingestion. All of these can cause an altered
mental status. The odor of alcohol suggests intoxication as a
potential cause of his problem, but cannot be quantified. Just
because the patient's eyes or closed or he has a tired appearance
does not necessarily indicate that he has an altered mental status.
◉ Hypoxia-induced unresponsiveness during a submersion injury is
usually the result of:
• A:a cardiac dysrhythmia.
• B:associated hypothermia.
• C:laryngospasm.
• D:water in the lungs. Answer: You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: When a patient falls into the water or becomes panicked
when in the water, he or she begins to swallow large amounts of
water. Even a small amount of water near the larynx can cause a
spasm, which closes off the airway. This results in hypoxia, loss of
consciousness, and cardiac dysrhythmias. If the patient is not
PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE SOLUTION 2026
SOLVED ITEMS CONFIRMED A+
◉ Your FIRST action in managing a patient with an altered mental
status should be to:
• A:determine if the patient is breathing adequately.
• B:administer one tube of oral glucose.
• C:administer high-flow supplemental oxygen.
• D:ask a family member how the patient normally acts. Answer: You
selected A; This is correct!
Reason:When treating a patient with an altered mental status, you
must first ensure a patent airway and determine if the patient is
breathing adequately. If the patient is breathing adequately,
administer supplemental oxygen and continue your assessment. If
the patient is not breathing adequately (ie, fast or slow rate, shallow
breathing [reduced tidal volume]), assist his or her ventilations. It is
important to ask a family member, if available, how the patient
normally acts; this will help establish a baseline. Before
administering oral glucose, you should assess the patient's blood
glucose level to determine if hypoglycemia is the cause of his or her
problem and then decide if the patient is able to swallow the
glucose, if indicated. If the patient is unable to swallow, do not
,administer oral glucose, even if he or she is hypoglycemic. Request a
paramedic ambulance if possible so the patient can receive
intravenous glucose.
◉ A patient who overdosed on methamphetamine would be
expected to have all of the following clinical signs, EXCEPT:
• A:agitation.
• B:hypertension.
• C:dilated pupils.
• D:bradycardia. Answer: You selected C; The correct answer is D;
Reason:Methamphetamine, an upper, stimulates the central nervous
system, causing it to release excessive amounts of adrenaline
(epinephrine). Epinephrine increases heart rate and blood pressure;
therefore, the patient would experience tachycardia and
hypertension. Other signs of methamphetamine overdose, which
also indicate an adrenaline surge, include pupillary dilation,
agitation, and hyperthermia. Bradycardia would be expected in
patients who have overdosed on drugs that suppress, not stimulate,
the central nervous system (eg, narcotics, benzodiazepines,
barbiturates).
◉ A 50-year-old woman with a history of epilepsy is actively seizing.
Care for this patient should focus primarily on:
• A:protecting her from injury and ensuring adequate ventilation.
,• B:administering high-flow oxygen and requesting an ALS
ambulance.
• C:frequently suctioning her airway and carefully restraining her.
• D:placing a bite block in between her molars and giving her
oxygen. Answer: You selected A; This is correct!
Reason:Seizure deaths are most frequently the result of hypoxia.
When a person is actively seizing, he or she is not breathing
adequately. Your primary focus when treating a seizure patient is to
protect him or her from injury and to ensure adequate ventilation
and oxygenation. Many seizing patients require assisted ventilation.
Suction the oropharynx only if the patient has secretions in his or
her mouth. Do NOT insert anything into the mouth of a seizing
patient; doing so may cause an airway obstruction or damage the
soft tissues of the mouth, resulting in bleeding. Do not attempt to
restrain an actively seizing patient; doing so may result in
musculoskeletal injuries. Request an ALS ambulance per your local
protocols.
◉ When you arrive at a residence for a man who is "not acting right,"
you enter the house and find him sitting on his couch. Which of the
following findings would be MOST indicative of an altered mental
status?
• A:Slurred speech.
• B:Tired appearance.
• C:Odor of alcohol.
, • D:Eyes are closed. Answer: You selected A; This is correct!
Reason:Often, an altered mental status can be difficult to assess,
especially if you do not know how the patient normally acts.
However, there are key findings that should increase your index of
suspicion. An abnormal speech pattern, such as slurring or
incoherent words, can be the result of a diabetic problem, alcohol
intoxication, or drug ingestion. All of these can cause an altered
mental status. The odor of alcohol suggests intoxication as a
potential cause of his problem, but cannot be quantified. Just
because the patient's eyes or closed or he has a tired appearance
does not necessarily indicate that he has an altered mental status.
◉ Hypoxia-induced unresponsiveness during a submersion injury is
usually the result of:
• A:a cardiac dysrhythmia.
• B:associated hypothermia.
• C:laryngospasm.
• D:water in the lungs. Answer: You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: When a patient falls into the water or becomes panicked
when in the water, he or she begins to swallow large amounts of
water. Even a small amount of water near the larynx can cause a
spasm, which closes off the airway. This results in hypoxia, loss of
consciousness, and cardiac dysrhythmias. If the patient is not
