MENTAL HEALTH EXAM STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
& CORRECT ANSWERS
What is PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
severe form of anxiety
What populations commonly have PTSD?
Military, Sexual assaults, accidents, natural disasters
What should a nurse do with a patient that has PTSD?
Never leave them alone!
What are some S/S of PTSD?
re-experience trauma through dreams or recurrent and intrusive thoughts;
avoidance; negative cognition or thoughts; being on guard; hyperarousal
(insomnia, hypervigilance, irritability, angry outbursts)
What are some treatments for PTSD?
counseling or therapy, inpatient treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT),
exposure therapy (combats the avoidance behavior seen in PTSD), adaptive
disclosure, cognitive processing therapy, combination of meds and CBT, know
their coping mechanisms
What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Form of psychological treatment that focuses efforts on changing thinking patterns
How is adaptive disclosure used with patients with PTSD?
it is an intense, specific, short-term therapy for active-duty personnel with PTSD. It
incorporates exposure therapy as well as "empty chair technique" in which
participants say whatever they need to say to anyone alive or dead.
What is cognitive processing therapy?
structured sessions that focus on examining beliefs that are erroneous or that
interfere with daily life, such as guilt and self-blame
,What medications help with PTSD?
antianxiety, antidepressants (SSRIs)
What are examples of anti-anxiety medications that help with PTSD?
Benzodiazepines- they can't be used long-term but can provide fast response
effects compared to SSRIs (not good for pregnancies)
What are examples of SSRIs that help with PTSD?
Sertraline (Zoloft), Fluoxetine (Prozac)
*Can take long time to work, can get worse before it gets better
A nurse is involved in a serious and prolonged mass causality incident in the ED.
Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to help prevent developing a
trauma-related disorder? Select all that apply.
Take breaks during the incident for food and water
Debrief with others following the incident
Take advantage of offered counseling
A nurse working on an acute mental health unit is caring for a patient who has
PTSD. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect? Select all that
apply.
Difficulty concentrating on tasks
Negative self-image
Recurring nightmares
A nurse is collecting an admission history for a client who has acute stress disorder
(ASD). Which of the following client behaviors should the nurse expect?
The client expresses a sense of unreality about the traumatic incident.
A nurse is caring for a client who has derealization disorder. Which of the
following findings should the nurse identify as an indication of derealization?
The client states that the furniture in the room seems to be small and far away.
A nurse in an acute mental health facility is planning care for a client who has
dissociative fugue. Which of the following interventions should the nurse add to
the plan of care?
A. Teach the client to recognize how stress brings on a personality change in the
,client
B. Repeatedly present the client with information about past events
C. Make decisions for the client regarding routine daily activities
D. Work with the client on grounding techniques
Work with the client on grounding techniques
What should nurses not do with a patient who has anxiety?
Do not leave them alone and do not search for triggers during the time of an attack
What are some interventions for those having panic attacks?
Meds- benzos, SSRIs, Tricyclics, antihypertensives
provide a safe environment and privacy, have client focus on deep breathing, talk
to client in calm, reassuring voice, teach relaxation techniques,
What are some interventions for those who have panic disorder?
encourage the client to verbalize feelings, remind the client to practice relaxation
when anxiety is low (deep breathing, guided imagery), teach the client reframing
techniques (be positive, re-direct), tell the client to ignore anxious feelings- do not
feed them
What is anxiety?
unexplained discomfort, tension, apprehension, or uneasiness which occurs when a
person feels threat to self
*threat can be real or imagined and is a very subjective experience
What is mild anxiety?
-associated with daily life, can motivate
-allows for increased sensory awareness and alertness
-thoughts are usually logical and contribute to problem solving
-may appear calm and in control
-no intervention usually necessary
What is moderate anxiety?
-continues to motivate
-allows clients to be attentive and problem solve, but client may have trouble
focusing
-dulls sensory input
, -speech rate may speed up
-may appear restless
-may result in physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea, tachycardia,
What is severe anxiety?
-Fight-or-flight response
-sensory input gets disorganized
-perceptions might be distorted
-impairs concentration and problem solving ability
-selective attention, can only focus on one detail
-tremors
-may state "I can't take this. I need help."
What is panic anxiety?
-causes perceptions to be grossly distorted, real from unreal
-cannot concentrate or problem solve
-might have hallucinations
-overwhelmed and helpless
-loss of ability to function for the day/week/month...
-may become aggressive or hostile, even clingy or crying
-Requires immediate intervention
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
Generalized, panic, phobia, PTSD, OCD
What is generalized anxiety disorder?
-unrealistic, excessive, persistent
-effects daily living
-lasts 6 months or longer
-anxiety might be out of proportion to the actual danger or threat
What are some nursing interventions for Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
-assess the client as to recognize anxiety
-assist client to find the trigger and address
-provide opportunities to learn to coping responses to trigger
-encourage deep breathing, exercise, relaxation
-decrease environmental stimuli
& CORRECT ANSWERS
What is PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
severe form of anxiety
What populations commonly have PTSD?
Military, Sexual assaults, accidents, natural disasters
What should a nurse do with a patient that has PTSD?
Never leave them alone!
What are some S/S of PTSD?
re-experience trauma through dreams or recurrent and intrusive thoughts;
avoidance; negative cognition or thoughts; being on guard; hyperarousal
(insomnia, hypervigilance, irritability, angry outbursts)
What are some treatments for PTSD?
counseling or therapy, inpatient treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT),
exposure therapy (combats the avoidance behavior seen in PTSD), adaptive
disclosure, cognitive processing therapy, combination of meds and CBT, know
their coping mechanisms
What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Form of psychological treatment that focuses efforts on changing thinking patterns
How is adaptive disclosure used with patients with PTSD?
it is an intense, specific, short-term therapy for active-duty personnel with PTSD. It
incorporates exposure therapy as well as "empty chair technique" in which
participants say whatever they need to say to anyone alive or dead.
What is cognitive processing therapy?
structured sessions that focus on examining beliefs that are erroneous or that
interfere with daily life, such as guilt and self-blame
,What medications help with PTSD?
antianxiety, antidepressants (SSRIs)
What are examples of anti-anxiety medications that help with PTSD?
Benzodiazepines- they can't be used long-term but can provide fast response
effects compared to SSRIs (not good for pregnancies)
What are examples of SSRIs that help with PTSD?
Sertraline (Zoloft), Fluoxetine (Prozac)
*Can take long time to work, can get worse before it gets better
A nurse is involved in a serious and prolonged mass causality incident in the ED.
Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to help prevent developing a
trauma-related disorder? Select all that apply.
Take breaks during the incident for food and water
Debrief with others following the incident
Take advantage of offered counseling
A nurse working on an acute mental health unit is caring for a patient who has
PTSD. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect? Select all that
apply.
Difficulty concentrating on tasks
Negative self-image
Recurring nightmares
A nurse is collecting an admission history for a client who has acute stress disorder
(ASD). Which of the following client behaviors should the nurse expect?
The client expresses a sense of unreality about the traumatic incident.
A nurse is caring for a client who has derealization disorder. Which of the
following findings should the nurse identify as an indication of derealization?
The client states that the furniture in the room seems to be small and far away.
A nurse in an acute mental health facility is planning care for a client who has
dissociative fugue. Which of the following interventions should the nurse add to
the plan of care?
A. Teach the client to recognize how stress brings on a personality change in the
,client
B. Repeatedly present the client with information about past events
C. Make decisions for the client regarding routine daily activities
D. Work with the client on grounding techniques
Work with the client on grounding techniques
What should nurses not do with a patient who has anxiety?
Do not leave them alone and do not search for triggers during the time of an attack
What are some interventions for those having panic attacks?
Meds- benzos, SSRIs, Tricyclics, antihypertensives
provide a safe environment and privacy, have client focus on deep breathing, talk
to client in calm, reassuring voice, teach relaxation techniques,
What are some interventions for those who have panic disorder?
encourage the client to verbalize feelings, remind the client to practice relaxation
when anxiety is low (deep breathing, guided imagery), teach the client reframing
techniques (be positive, re-direct), tell the client to ignore anxious feelings- do not
feed them
What is anxiety?
unexplained discomfort, tension, apprehension, or uneasiness which occurs when a
person feels threat to self
*threat can be real or imagined and is a very subjective experience
What is mild anxiety?
-associated with daily life, can motivate
-allows for increased sensory awareness and alertness
-thoughts are usually logical and contribute to problem solving
-may appear calm and in control
-no intervention usually necessary
What is moderate anxiety?
-continues to motivate
-allows clients to be attentive and problem solve, but client may have trouble
focusing
-dulls sensory input
, -speech rate may speed up
-may appear restless
-may result in physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea, tachycardia,
What is severe anxiety?
-Fight-or-flight response
-sensory input gets disorganized
-perceptions might be distorted
-impairs concentration and problem solving ability
-selective attention, can only focus on one detail
-tremors
-may state "I can't take this. I need help."
What is panic anxiety?
-causes perceptions to be grossly distorted, real from unreal
-cannot concentrate or problem solve
-might have hallucinations
-overwhelmed and helpless
-loss of ability to function for the day/week/month...
-may become aggressive or hostile, even clingy or crying
-Requires immediate intervention
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
Generalized, panic, phobia, PTSD, OCD
What is generalized anxiety disorder?
-unrealistic, excessive, persistent
-effects daily living
-lasts 6 months or longer
-anxiety might be out of proportion to the actual danger or threat
What are some nursing interventions for Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
-assess the client as to recognize anxiety
-assist client to find the trigger and address
-provide opportunities to learn to coping responses to trigger
-encourage deep breathing, exercise, relaxation
-decrease environmental stimuli
