Personality Disorders Practice Questions
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1. While meeting with the mother and a young adult patient, the nurse learns
that the patient engages in hyperjealousy, mistrust, and suspicious behavior
with family members.
Which personality disorder should the nurse keep in mind during the initial
assessment?
Schizoid personality disorder
Paranoid personality disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder
Patients with paranoid personality disorder (PPD) tend to demonstrate an inability to trust others. Actions and intentions
of others are perceived as having an underlying theme of malevolence. The pathologic jealousy sometimes associated
with PPD can damage relationships with significant others. Patients with schizoid personality disorder are generally
unable to express strong emotions, while individuals with schizotypal personality disorder often have odd mannerisms
and speech patterns. Those with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are impulsive and take extreme risks.
2. The nurse is discussing interventions associated with patients who are diag-
nosed with personality disorders (PDs) with a group of new nurses.
Which intervention should be emphasized throughout the teaching session?
Promoting comfort
Encouraging interpersonal relationships
Promoting patient safety
Adhering to medication therapy: Promoting patient safety
Nursing interventions for patients with a PD will include preventing injury and maintaining physical safety of the patient,
as well as protecting the safety of those with whom the patient interacts. Once safety is ensured, promoting comfort can
, Personality Disorders Practice Questions
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be addressed. Adhering to medication therapy and encouraging interpersonal relationships can be addressed after
safety is established.
3. An older adult patient is seeking medical care for new symptoms of a person-
ality disorder (PD).
Which factor should the nurse suspect contributed to this patient's health
problem?
Physical impairments
Medication side effects
Death or loss of a support person
Lack of sleep: Death or loss of a support person
The loss of a significant support person or a stabilizing social situation, such as a job, exacerbates the display of the
disorder and associated symptoms. Medication side effects, lack of sleep, and physical impairments are not contributing
factors to the onset of personality disorders in older adults.
4. The nurse reviews pharmacologic therapy for personality disorders (PDs) with
a group of new nurses.
Which type of personality disorder should the nurse emphasize that might be
treated with an anxiolytic medication?
Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)
Schizoid personality disorder
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)
Histrionic personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)
Anxiolytics are used to inhibit anxiety in patients with paranoid personality disorder (PPD). Individuals with PDs often are
prescribed medications to control their symptoms. Obsessive-compulsive, aggressive, and self-destructive behaviors
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_htrzmp
1. While meeting with the mother and a young adult patient, the nurse learns
that the patient engages in hyperjealousy, mistrust, and suspicious behavior
with family members.
Which personality disorder should the nurse keep in mind during the initial
assessment?
Schizoid personality disorder
Paranoid personality disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder
Patients with paranoid personality disorder (PPD) tend to demonstrate an inability to trust others. Actions and intentions
of others are perceived as having an underlying theme of malevolence. The pathologic jealousy sometimes associated
with PPD can damage relationships with significant others. Patients with schizoid personality disorder are generally
unable to express strong emotions, while individuals with schizotypal personality disorder often have odd mannerisms
and speech patterns. Those with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are impulsive and take extreme risks.
2. The nurse is discussing interventions associated with patients who are diag-
nosed with personality disorders (PDs) with a group of new nurses.
Which intervention should be emphasized throughout the teaching session?
Promoting comfort
Encouraging interpersonal relationships
Promoting patient safety
Adhering to medication therapy: Promoting patient safety
Nursing interventions for patients with a PD will include preventing injury and maintaining physical safety of the patient,
as well as protecting the safety of those with whom the patient interacts. Once safety is ensured, promoting comfort can
, Personality Disorders Practice Questions
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_htrzmp
be addressed. Adhering to medication therapy and encouraging interpersonal relationships can be addressed after
safety is established.
3. An older adult patient is seeking medical care for new symptoms of a person-
ality disorder (PD).
Which factor should the nurse suspect contributed to this patient's health
problem?
Physical impairments
Medication side effects
Death or loss of a support person
Lack of sleep: Death or loss of a support person
The loss of a significant support person or a stabilizing social situation, such as a job, exacerbates the display of the
disorder and associated symptoms. Medication side effects, lack of sleep, and physical impairments are not contributing
factors to the onset of personality disorders in older adults.
4. The nurse reviews pharmacologic therapy for personality disorders (PDs) with
a group of new nurses.
Which type of personality disorder should the nurse emphasize that might be
treated with an anxiolytic medication?
Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)
Schizoid personality disorder
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)
Histrionic personality disorder: Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)
Anxiolytics are used to inhibit anxiety in patients with paranoid personality disorder (PPD). Individuals with PDs often are
prescribed medications to control their symptoms. Obsessive-compulsive, aggressive, and self-destructive behaviors
