CMN 548 MODULE 1 STUDY GUIDE |
COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
2026/2027
1 of 180
Term
What are some key points to address during the bare-bones approach
to the family psychiatric history?
Give this one a go later!
Focus on the patient's educational Inquire about the patient's exercise
background routine
Ask if any blood relative has
diagnosed psychiatric, medical,
Discuss the patient's dietary habits
or neurological disorders p110-
111
, Don't know?
2 of 180
Definition
How does your patient's appearance help you in your evaluation? At
the extremes, a specific diagnosis might immediately suggest itself.
For example, a disheveled man wearing bizarrely mismatched layers of
clothes is schizophrenic until proven otherwise.
Likewise, a flamboyant and seductively dressed woman with bright
makeup who bounces into your office with energy to spare strongly
suggests mania.
In usual clinical practice, however, these pathognomonic presentations
are rare, and appearance provides more subtle, but no less useful,
information. Qualities to note include
Self-esteem: Does the patient care about his
appearance? Compare the following two patient descriptions:
The patient was a mildly overweight man with unruly black curly hair,
dressed in ill-fitting baggy jeans and a T-shirt so tight that his stomach
was visibly bulging above his belt.
The patient was a slim man who appeared younger than his 47 years,
with fashionably cut short brown hair, an ironed button-down shirt,
new jeans, and polished penny loafers.
,Both patients were diagnosed with depression, but they presented
very differently and required different treatment plans.
Personal statement: Does the appearance say something specific
about your patient's interests, activities, or attitudes?
The patient came into the office dressed in a pressed electrician's
uniform, with his name stitched over his breast pocket.
She wore a T-shirt with the slogan, "Every day I'm forced to add one
more name to the list of people who piss me off."
Memorable aspects: Describe whatever particularly strikes you about
your patient. For example, if he is particularly attractive, note it, since
degree of attractiveness is usually relevant to self-image. However, I
have yet to see any report describe a patient as "unattractive," and I
wouldn't recommend it, because it implies that you disliked him.
Instead, describe the unattractive aspects.
This was a man of normal build who had a round, acne-covered face
and was essentially bald, with the exception of small amounts of oily
black hair on either side.
Sometimes, a particular feature jumps out at you:
She had short curly brown hair, and her left eye was congenitally
deviated toward the left, giving her a somewhat unsettling appearance.
Give this one a go later!
, summarizes the components of the summarizes the components of the
social and developmental history: social and developmental history:
early family life. work history
summarizes the components of summarizes the components of the
the mental status examination: social and developmental history:
appearance education
Don't know?
3 of 180
Definition
A large dilated pupil on one side with no ocular abnormalities is
benign (Adie's pupil).
In a depressed state of consciousness, a dilated pupil suggests
herniation of temporal lobe (uncal herniation).
Constricted pupil occurs with pontine injuries or from narcotics.
Dilated pupil occurs in anoxia, as well as administration of atropine,
scopolamine.
Give this one a go later!
Trigeminal Vestibulocochlear
COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
2026/2027
1 of 180
Term
What are some key points to address during the bare-bones approach
to the family psychiatric history?
Give this one a go later!
Focus on the patient's educational Inquire about the patient's exercise
background routine
Ask if any blood relative has
diagnosed psychiatric, medical,
Discuss the patient's dietary habits
or neurological disorders p110-
111
, Don't know?
2 of 180
Definition
How does your patient's appearance help you in your evaluation? At
the extremes, a specific diagnosis might immediately suggest itself.
For example, a disheveled man wearing bizarrely mismatched layers of
clothes is schizophrenic until proven otherwise.
Likewise, a flamboyant and seductively dressed woman with bright
makeup who bounces into your office with energy to spare strongly
suggests mania.
In usual clinical practice, however, these pathognomonic presentations
are rare, and appearance provides more subtle, but no less useful,
information. Qualities to note include
Self-esteem: Does the patient care about his
appearance? Compare the following two patient descriptions:
The patient was a mildly overweight man with unruly black curly hair,
dressed in ill-fitting baggy jeans and a T-shirt so tight that his stomach
was visibly bulging above his belt.
The patient was a slim man who appeared younger than his 47 years,
with fashionably cut short brown hair, an ironed button-down shirt,
new jeans, and polished penny loafers.
,Both patients were diagnosed with depression, but they presented
very differently and required different treatment plans.
Personal statement: Does the appearance say something specific
about your patient's interests, activities, or attitudes?
The patient came into the office dressed in a pressed electrician's
uniform, with his name stitched over his breast pocket.
She wore a T-shirt with the slogan, "Every day I'm forced to add one
more name to the list of people who piss me off."
Memorable aspects: Describe whatever particularly strikes you about
your patient. For example, if he is particularly attractive, note it, since
degree of attractiveness is usually relevant to self-image. However, I
have yet to see any report describe a patient as "unattractive," and I
wouldn't recommend it, because it implies that you disliked him.
Instead, describe the unattractive aspects.
This was a man of normal build who had a round, acne-covered face
and was essentially bald, with the exception of small amounts of oily
black hair on either side.
Sometimes, a particular feature jumps out at you:
She had short curly brown hair, and her left eye was congenitally
deviated toward the left, giving her a somewhat unsettling appearance.
Give this one a go later!
, summarizes the components of the summarizes the components of the
social and developmental history: social and developmental history:
early family life. work history
summarizes the components of summarizes the components of the
the mental status examination: social and developmental history:
appearance education
Don't know?
3 of 180
Definition
A large dilated pupil on one side with no ocular abnormalities is
benign (Adie's pupil).
In a depressed state of consciousness, a dilated pupil suggests
herniation of temporal lobe (uncal herniation).
Constricted pupil occurs with pontine injuries or from narcotics.
Dilated pupil occurs in anoxia, as well as administration of atropine,
scopolamine.
Give this one a go later!
Trigeminal Vestibulocochlear
