NURS6311 Final Exam Questions & Answers
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Question 1
A 55-year-old female recently accepted a severance package for early retirement from
her job as a fashion buyer for a major retail store. Over the past 6 months she has
increasingly become isolated, neglecting her self-care, and collecting various things of
no real value. Her appearance is unkempt, and her affect is flat. Before being called
back to the consultation room the PMHNP notices that the patient seems to be
talking to herself audibly. During the consultation the patient makes poor eye contact
and wants frequent reassurance that no one is listening in. Which of the following
would be the best action for the PMHNP to take?
A. Send the patient to the psychiatric emergency department
B. Speak in a calm reassuring voice and evaluate for comorbid conditions
C. Prescribe an antipsychotic medication for atypical psychosis
D. Order an MRI of the brain to rule out a mass
Correct Answer
B. Speak in a calm reassuring voice and evaluate for comorbid conditions (ch. 9. p.
147, Q. 5)
Question 2
A 55 y/o woman has been referred for a psychiatric evaluation for a change in
personality, lack of impulse control, and increasingly reckless decision-making. Which
area of the brain would be responsible for these symptoms?
A. Parietal lobe
B. Broca's area
C. Wernicke's area
D. Frontal lobe
Correct Answer
D. Frontal lobe (ch. 4. p. 73, Q. 2)
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Question 3
A 72 y/o man with a comorbid history of uncontrolled hypertension is referred to the
PMHNP for dementia secondary to depression. The mental status exam reveals
difficulty speaking fluently, inappropriate and confabulated responses, incongruent
affect, and poor judgement. A cerebrovascular accident in which region of the brain
would better explain these symptoms?
A. Parietal lobe
B. Wernicke's area
C. Broca's area
D. Occipital lobe
Correct Answer
C. Broca's area (ch. 4. p. 73, Q. 5)
Question 4
Which region of the brain is associated with sensory integration, spatial awareness,
and conscious awareness of the opposite side of the body?
A. Occipital lobe
B. Wernicke's area
C. Broca's area
D. Parietal lobe
Correct Answer
D. Parietal lobe (ch. 4. p. 73, Q. 6)
Question 5
A patient appears internally preoccupied and responding to auditory hallucination.
This patient may have a pathology affecting which lobe of the brain?
A. Temporal lobe
B. Occipital lobe
C. Parietal lobe
D. Cerebellum
Correct Answer
A. Temporal lobe (ch. 4. p. 73, Q. 7)
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Question 6
A patient presents with atypical symptoms of psychosis that include inconsistent
auditory hallucinations without disorganization. What is the best definition of an EEG
and its utility?
A. Radiologic test utilizing magnets and radio waves to provide detailed image of the
structures of the brain
B. Electrophysiologic test that depicts electrical activity on the surface of the brain
C. A serum test to indicate nutritional deficiencies that inhibit the formation of
neurotransmitters
D. A neuropsychological test to distinguish psychosis from a psychosomatic illness
Correct Answer
B. Electrophysiologic test that depicts electrical activity on the surface of the brain
(ch. 4. p. 73, Q. 8)
Question 7
A patient is diagnosed with major depressive disorder with the most prominent
features f apathy, anhedonia, and isolation. Which neurotransmitter is associated with
the symptoms?
A. Serotonin
B. Gamma-aminobenzoic acid (GABA)
C. Dopamine
D. Cannabinoids
Correct Answer
C. Dopamine (ch. 4. p. 74, Q. 15)
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Question 8
The PMHNP in the ED is evaluating a 68 y/o woman who recently diagnosed with
mild cognitive impairment patient and cannot remember the name of the medication
that she has recently started 1 week ago. The patient is complaining of increased
heart rate, sweating, and muscle spasms progressively worsening for the last 3 days.
Which neurotransmitter is associated with this adverse effect?
A. Serotonin
B. Acetylcholine
C. Gamma-aminobenzoic acid (GABA)
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer
B. Acetylcholine (ch. 4. p. 75, Q. 17)
Question 9
Which of the following neurotransmitters exert inhibition over neuronal function?
A. Acetylcholine
B. Cannabinoids
C. Gamma-aminobenzoic acid (GABA)
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer
C. Gamma-aminobenzoic acid (GABA) (ch. 4. p. 75, Q. 18)
Question 10
A 45 y/o man presents for a follow-up visit after starting on an SSRI 2 weeks ago for
major depressive disorder. Which assessment tool would be the best indicator of
progress?
A. Geriatric Depression Scale
B. The Young Mania Rating Scale
C. Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale
D. Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology
Correct Answer
D. Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (ch. 4. p. 75, Q. 20)
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