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NURS 497
NURS 497 Exam 2 Newest (2026/2027) Complete
Questions and Answers | Graded A
1. A client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tells the nurse, "I have
to wash my hands exactly 12 times after I touch a doorknob, or I know my
family will get sick." Which component of the client's statement best
illustrates the concept of a compulsion?
A. The fear that his family will get sick.
B. The act of touching a doorknob.
C. The handwashing ritual performed exactly 12 times.
D. The persistent thought about germs.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: A compulsion is a repetitive behavior (e.g., handwashing) or
mental act that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an
NURS 497
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NURS 497
obsession or according to rigidly applied rules. The ritualistic act is aimed at
reducing the distress caused by the obsessive thought.
2. A nurse is reviewing the neurobiological factors of OCD with a student.
Which brain structure, when hyperactive, is strongly implicated in the
pathophysiology of OCD due to its role in mediating dopamine via GABA?
A. Orbitofrontal cortex
B. Anterior cingulate cortex
C. Caudate nucleus
D. Amygdala
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: The caudate nucleus, part of the basal ganglia, is where GABA
mediates dopamine. Hyperactivity in this circuit (along with the orbitofrontal
and anterior cingulate cortices) is a key neuropathological finding in OCD.
3. The effectiveness of which class of medication for OCD provides the
strongest evidence for a specific biochemical factor in its etiology?
A. Typical antipsychotics
NURS 497
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NURS 497
B. Benzodiazepines
C. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
D. Mood stabilizers
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Serotonin is strongly linked to OCD, a connection primarily
supported by the clinical effectiveness of SSRIs in reducing obsessive-
compulsive symptoms.
4. During a skin assessment, a nurse notes cracked, bleeding knuckles and
areas of dermatitis on a client's hands. The client avoids shaking hands and is
frequently seen using hand sanitizer. Which condition should the nurse
consider as a possible etiology?
A. Psoriasis
B. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
C. Allergic contact dermatitis
D. Bulimia nervosa
CORRECT ANSWER: B
NURS 497
NURS 497
NURS 497 Exam 2 Newest (2026/2027) Complete
Questions and Answers | Graded A
1. A client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tells the nurse, "I have
to wash my hands exactly 12 times after I touch a doorknob, or I know my
family will get sick." Which component of the client's statement best
illustrates the concept of a compulsion?
A. The fear that his family will get sick.
B. The act of touching a doorknob.
C. The handwashing ritual performed exactly 12 times.
D. The persistent thought about germs.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: A compulsion is a repetitive behavior (e.g., handwashing) or
mental act that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an
NURS 497
, 2
NURS 497
obsession or according to rigidly applied rules. The ritualistic act is aimed at
reducing the distress caused by the obsessive thought.
2. A nurse is reviewing the neurobiological factors of OCD with a student.
Which brain structure, when hyperactive, is strongly implicated in the
pathophysiology of OCD due to its role in mediating dopamine via GABA?
A. Orbitofrontal cortex
B. Anterior cingulate cortex
C. Caudate nucleus
D. Amygdala
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: The caudate nucleus, part of the basal ganglia, is where GABA
mediates dopamine. Hyperactivity in this circuit (along with the orbitofrontal
and anterior cingulate cortices) is a key neuropathological finding in OCD.
3. The effectiveness of which class of medication for OCD provides the
strongest evidence for a specific biochemical factor in its etiology?
A. Typical antipsychotics
NURS 497
, 3
NURS 497
B. Benzodiazepines
C. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
D. Mood stabilizers
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Serotonin is strongly linked to OCD, a connection primarily
supported by the clinical effectiveness of SSRIs in reducing obsessive-
compulsive symptoms.
4. During a skin assessment, a nurse notes cracked, bleeding knuckles and
areas of dermatitis on a client's hands. The client avoids shaking hands and is
frequently seen using hand sanitizer. Which condition should the nurse
consider as a possible etiology?
A. Psoriasis
B. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
C. Allergic contact dermatitis
D. Bulimia nervosa
CORRECT ANSWER: B
NURS 497
