QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALE
“Steps for Obtaining Informed Consent - CORRECT ANSWER -Assess pt ability to
understand medical info, tx options, to make a voluntary decision.
-Present relevant info with accuracy and sensitivity:
• diagnosis
• nature & purpose of tx options
• benefits, risks, burdens of all tx options, including forgoing tx
-Document informed consent conversation in the medical record, including all consent
forms."
"Underlying assumptions for child and adolescent psychotherapy - CORRECT ANSWER
Developmental considerations
Family involvement
Systems involvement
Resiliency"
"Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) - CORRECT ANSWER Treatment for opioid use
disorder combining the use of medications (methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone)
with counseling and behavioral therapies."
"Mental health and youth - CORRECT ANSWER -13% of children ages 8-15 experience
a mental health condition
-50% of children ages 8-15 experiencing a mental health condition do not receive tx
-13-20% of children living in the U.S. (1 out of 5 children) experience a mental health
condition in a given year
-17% of high school students seriously consider suicide
-1/2 of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14"
"Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in Children and Adolescents - CORRECT
ANSWER -lack of sufficient information or access to services
-stigmas or negative perceptions towards mental health services
-many drop out before receiving effective treatment, often due to:
• poverty
• language barriers
• living in communities with scarce resources
• stressors such as
➣problems in the family
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, ➣violence in the community
➣unstable housing
➣unemployment
➣food insecurity
-Cost
-scheduling conflicts
-long waitlists for services
-high staff turnover"
"Prescribing Considerations for Children and Adolescents - CORRECT ANSWER -
physiologic factors impact pediatric med selection & dosing
-Children, more rapid metabolism than adults, may require larger dose of med per unit of
body weight
-Around puberty, pharmacokinetic properties reach adult parameters
• dosing after puberty may need to be decreased
-Developmental considerations
• attuned to signs of adverse effects, younger children may not be able to communicate
complaints"
"Ethical Considerations in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents: Mandatory
Reporting - CORRECT ANSWER -PMHNPs mandated reporters in most states
• required to report suspicions about abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities
-federal & state statutes include stipulations related to mandatory reporting
-PMHNPs responsible for following all relevant statutes in their state of practice"
"most common complication during the perinatal period? - CORRECT ANSWER Mental
health problems"
"maternal mental health - CORRECT ANSWER -Up to 1 in 5 women will suffer from a
maternal mental health disorder like postpartum depression
-<15% of women receive tx
-1 in 7 will experience depression during pregnancy
-Up to 50% of women living in poverty will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder
-Maternal mental health disorders impact the whole family, not just moms
-More than 600,000 women will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder in the U.S.
ever year
-Anxiety & depression have risen 37% in teen girls. This will increase the number of
women suffering postpartum depression in the future
-Rates of depression are more than doubled in Black moms due to cumulative effects of
stress called weathering"
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, "Ethical Considerations in Maternal Mental Health Tx - CORRECT ANSWER -PMHNP
must carefully weigh the risks & benefits r/t starting, continuing, switching, or
discontinuing med therapy during the perinatal period
-work to create tx plans that respect clients' goals & perspectives"
"Discontinuation of medications for pregnancy is associated with a relapse rate of
___________% for clients who take mood stabilizers - CORRECT ANSWER 80-100%"
"Informed consent: pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER -must initiate discussion with pt
regarding informed consent for tx
• whether new symptoms during pregnancy or already established with care
• risks of continuing current meds and the risks of stopping them
-help pt process their risk factors & tx hx to make an informed decision
-if must remain on high-risk medications such as valproic acid should be thoroughly
evaluated by the multidisciplinary team including a perinatal psychiatrist
-Documentation should note whether the woman plans to continue with treatment or
discontinue the medication"
"Kenya is a 36-year-old who has been taking fluoxetine for three years for major
depressive disorder. Her symptoms are currently in remission, and she just found out that
she is 7 weeks pregnant. She calls the PMHNP to discuss whether she should continue her
medication during pregnancy. After the discussion, Kenya indicates that she will remain on
her medication.
Which of the following should be included in the discussion and documentation of the call
with Kenya? Select all that apply.
rare adve - CORRECT ANSWER rare adverse effect of persistent pulmonary
hypertension in the neonate
common adverse effect of postnatal abstinence syndrome
potential risks of discontinuing treatment to both mother and baby
decision to continue treatment
Rationale: The PMHNP should disclose all common adverse effects and discuss serious
adverse effects associated with the medication, regardless of incidence. The discussion
should include the potential risks to both mother and baby if the medication is
discontinued. Documentation should include the client's decision whether to continue or
discontinue treatment. Since fluoxetine is not a high-risk medication for pregnancy, the
PMHNP need not refer the client to a perinatal psychiatrist for medication management."
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, "Pregnancy Safety Considerations for Common Mental Health Treatment: Meds for
Depression & Anxiety - CORRECT ANSWER -SSRIs are first-line treatments for
depression and anxiety during pregnancy
-SNRIs, tricyclic's, & bupropion are also considered safe tx options
-most common adverse effect with SSRIs & SNRIs is neonatal withdrawal syndrome
• Symptoms: tremors, high-pitched crying, disturbed sleep (peaks 2-4 days after birth)
• impacts up to 30% of babies born to mothers who take antidepressant medication
• no evidence D/Cing or tapering dosages in last trimester reduces risk to infant
-Paroxetine may increase risk of atrial septal defects
-Benzodiazepines taken with caution for anxiety
• risk of newborn toxicity must be considered and monitored if used
• Symptoms: sedation, floppy muscle tone, potential breathing issues at birth"
"Pregnancy Safety Considerations for Common Mental Health Treatment: Meds for Bipolar
Disorder - CORRECT ANSWER -Lamotrigine considered safe during pregnancy
• may not be effective for manic episodes
-Lithium exposure during first trimester has small but significant risk of cardiac
malformations
• increases with higher doses
• risks and benefits carefully considered, Consider the gestational age of the embryo and
fetus
-AVOID DURING PREGNANCY
• valproic acid and carbamazepine are considered teratogenic"
"Pregnancy Safety Considerations for Common Mental Health Treatment: Meds for
Psychosis - CORRECT ANSWER -atypical antipsychotic medications, particularly
olanzapine and quetiapine
• increased risk of gestational diabetes
➣D/Cing may not decrease the risk
• increased risk of large for gestational age infants
-Olanzapine increase the risk of musculoskeletal malformations in infants
-Risperidone & quetiapine are the most used antipsychotics during pregnancy
• Neither cause malformations
-Antipsychotic meds may cause neonatal withdrawal symptoms
• close monitoring of newborn several days after delivery"
"Johnita has been taking sertraline 100 mg daily for 4 years for major depressive disorder.
Her symptoms have fluctuated over the past year. She is 10 weeks pregnant.
Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation for Johnita?
continue sertraline 100 mg daily
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