PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH UPDATED
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔The 5 negative symptoms of schizophrenia - ✔✔1. Anhedonia (inability to feel
pleasure)
2. Alogia (poverty of speech)
3. Apathy (lacking feeling or concern, lack of interest)
4. Flat affect (lack of emotion, especially to events which normally elicits emotion)
5. Avolition (total lack of motivation, hard to get anything done)
✔✔What drug class is the primary treatment for schizophrenia? - ✔✔Antipsychotics
✔✔The 8 common adverse effects of antipsychotics - ✔✔1. Sedation
2. Confusion
3. Blurred vision
4. Dry mouth
5. Weight gain
6. Constipation
7. Urinary hesitancy
8. Sexual problems
,✔✔Gynecomastia and galactorrhea can be adverse effects of what drug class? -
✔✔Antipsychotics
✔✔Name the 4 types of Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) - ✔✔1. Akathisia
2. Dystonia
3. Pseudoparkinsonism
4. Tardive dyskinesia
✔✔This EPS symptom is associated with unbearable need for constant movement
(rocking back and forth, pacing, marching in place, squirming, etc.) - ✔✔Akathisia
✔✔This is the first line treatment of akathisia - ✔✔Propranolol
✔✔This is the scale used to rate akathisia - ✔✔Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale
✔✔This reaction is characterized by uncontrollable contraction of the muscles and
symptoms include uncontrollable teeth grinding, dramatic spasms of the face, back or
extremities; oculogyric crisis; torticollis - ✔✔Dystonia
✔✔Name the 4 drug types used to treat dystonia - ✔✔1. Anticholinergics
2. Antihistamines
3. Beta-blockers
4. Benzodiazepines
✔✔Name the 7 symptoms of pseudoparkinsonism - ✔✔1. Mask-like face, possible
drooling
2. Stooped posture
3. Resting tremors
4. Pill rolling
5. Cogwheel rigidity in arms and shoulders
6. Shuffling gait
7. Muscle stiffness
✔✔T or F? Pseudoparkinsonism can be treated by safely stopping the causative agent -
✔✔True
✔✔This potentially irreversible, disfiguring medical crisis is defined as prolonged,
involuntary tonic muscle spasms, usually of the tongue, fingers, toes, neck or
extremities - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)
✔✔This condition can be caused by prolonged antipsychotic use or as a result of an
antipsychotic being decreased or stopped - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)
✔✔Which populations have a higher prevalence of TD? - ✔✔1. Elderly
,2. Females
3. Tobacco users
4. African Americans
✔✔This condition is a rare but life-threatening reaction to antipsychotics that carries a
10-20% mortality rate - ✔✔Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)
✔✔Name the 6 symptoms that are associated with Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
(NMS) - ✔✔1. Hyperthermia
2. Autonomic Instability
3. AMS (Altered mental status)
4. Muscular rigidity
5. Increased CPK (rhabdomyolysis)
6. Leukocytosis (increase WBC)
✔✔What is one of the first interventions that should be given to a patient with
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)? - ✔✔Cooling the patient to a normal core
temp
✔✔What are common medications to treat Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)? -
✔✔Bromocriptine (dopamine agonist)
Dantrolene (muscle relaxant)
✔✔This disorder has symptoms that typically last 1-6 months and return to pre-
symptomatic baseline and can be treated with antipsychotics - ✔✔Schizophreniform
Disorder
✔✔This disorder has symptoms of both schizophrenia and affective mood disorder -
✔✔Schizoaffective Disorder
✔✔Name the 5 substance/medical conditions that need to be ruled out to diagnose
Schizoaffective Disorder - ✔✔1. Steroids
2. Amphetamines
3. PCP
4. Brain Tumor
5. Temporal lobe epilepsy
✔✔These 3 drug types are used to treat schizoaffective disorder - ✔✔1. Antipsychotics
2. Mood stabilizers
3. Antidepressants
✔✔These 4 delusion types are associated with Delusional Disorder - ✔✔1. Erotic
2. Grandiose
3. Jealous
, 4. Persecutory
✔✔This condition is characterized by the presence of at least 1 symptom of
hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder or disorganized behavior that lasts 1 day to 1
month - ✔✔Brief Psychotic Disorder
✔✔This drug class contains traditional dopamine antagonists - ✔✔First generation
antipsychotics (FGAs)
✔✔Name the 4 first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) - ✔✔1. Haloperidol (Haldol)
2. Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
3. Perphenazine (Trilafon)
4. Fluphenazine (Modecate)
✔✔This drug class contains serotonin-dopamine antagonists - ✔✔Second generation
antipsychotics (SGAs)
✔✔Name the 5 second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) - ✔✔1. Risperidone
(Risperdal)
2. Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
3. Quetiapine (Seroquel)
4. Ziprasidone (Geodon)
5. Clozapine (Clozaril)
✔✔This drug is a third-generation antipsychotic - ✔✔Aripiprazole (Abilify)
✔✔What long acting injectables (LAIs) are associated with increased risk of tardive
dyskinesia (TD) with long term use? - ✔✔haloperidol (Haldol)
fluphenazine (Modecate)
risperidone (Risperdal)
✔✔This is always a last resort intervention and is only appropriate if a patient is an
immediate danger to self or others - ✔✔Seclusion or restraint
✔✔This is one of the very few risk assessment tools that can predict aggression in a 24-
hour period - ✔✔Broset Violence Checklist
✔✔Name 6 ways that the nurse can reassure the patient suffering with psychosis that
they are committed to the patient's safety and comfort - ✔✔1. Use clear and plain words
2. Non-threatening posture
3. Body language should be relaxed, calm, unafraid
4. Ensure basic needs are met
5. Ensure safety, consistent monitoring for HI/SI risk
6. Be empathetic, honest and succinct
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔The 5 negative symptoms of schizophrenia - ✔✔1. Anhedonia (inability to feel
pleasure)
2. Alogia (poverty of speech)
3. Apathy (lacking feeling or concern, lack of interest)
4. Flat affect (lack of emotion, especially to events which normally elicits emotion)
5. Avolition (total lack of motivation, hard to get anything done)
✔✔What drug class is the primary treatment for schizophrenia? - ✔✔Antipsychotics
✔✔The 8 common adverse effects of antipsychotics - ✔✔1. Sedation
2. Confusion
3. Blurred vision
4. Dry mouth
5. Weight gain
6. Constipation
7. Urinary hesitancy
8. Sexual problems
,✔✔Gynecomastia and galactorrhea can be adverse effects of what drug class? -
✔✔Antipsychotics
✔✔Name the 4 types of Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) - ✔✔1. Akathisia
2. Dystonia
3. Pseudoparkinsonism
4. Tardive dyskinesia
✔✔This EPS symptom is associated with unbearable need for constant movement
(rocking back and forth, pacing, marching in place, squirming, etc.) - ✔✔Akathisia
✔✔This is the first line treatment of akathisia - ✔✔Propranolol
✔✔This is the scale used to rate akathisia - ✔✔Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale
✔✔This reaction is characterized by uncontrollable contraction of the muscles and
symptoms include uncontrollable teeth grinding, dramatic spasms of the face, back or
extremities; oculogyric crisis; torticollis - ✔✔Dystonia
✔✔Name the 4 drug types used to treat dystonia - ✔✔1. Anticholinergics
2. Antihistamines
3. Beta-blockers
4. Benzodiazepines
✔✔Name the 7 symptoms of pseudoparkinsonism - ✔✔1. Mask-like face, possible
drooling
2. Stooped posture
3. Resting tremors
4. Pill rolling
5. Cogwheel rigidity in arms and shoulders
6. Shuffling gait
7. Muscle stiffness
✔✔T or F? Pseudoparkinsonism can be treated by safely stopping the causative agent -
✔✔True
✔✔This potentially irreversible, disfiguring medical crisis is defined as prolonged,
involuntary tonic muscle spasms, usually of the tongue, fingers, toes, neck or
extremities - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)
✔✔This condition can be caused by prolonged antipsychotic use or as a result of an
antipsychotic being decreased or stopped - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)
✔✔Which populations have a higher prevalence of TD? - ✔✔1. Elderly
,2. Females
3. Tobacco users
4. African Americans
✔✔This condition is a rare but life-threatening reaction to antipsychotics that carries a
10-20% mortality rate - ✔✔Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)
✔✔Name the 6 symptoms that are associated with Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
(NMS) - ✔✔1. Hyperthermia
2. Autonomic Instability
3. AMS (Altered mental status)
4. Muscular rigidity
5. Increased CPK (rhabdomyolysis)
6. Leukocytosis (increase WBC)
✔✔What is one of the first interventions that should be given to a patient with
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)? - ✔✔Cooling the patient to a normal core
temp
✔✔What are common medications to treat Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)? -
✔✔Bromocriptine (dopamine agonist)
Dantrolene (muscle relaxant)
✔✔This disorder has symptoms that typically last 1-6 months and return to pre-
symptomatic baseline and can be treated with antipsychotics - ✔✔Schizophreniform
Disorder
✔✔This disorder has symptoms of both schizophrenia and affective mood disorder -
✔✔Schizoaffective Disorder
✔✔Name the 5 substance/medical conditions that need to be ruled out to diagnose
Schizoaffective Disorder - ✔✔1. Steroids
2. Amphetamines
3. PCP
4. Brain Tumor
5. Temporal lobe epilepsy
✔✔These 3 drug types are used to treat schizoaffective disorder - ✔✔1. Antipsychotics
2. Mood stabilizers
3. Antidepressants
✔✔These 4 delusion types are associated with Delusional Disorder - ✔✔1. Erotic
2. Grandiose
3. Jealous
, 4. Persecutory
✔✔This condition is characterized by the presence of at least 1 symptom of
hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder or disorganized behavior that lasts 1 day to 1
month - ✔✔Brief Psychotic Disorder
✔✔This drug class contains traditional dopamine antagonists - ✔✔First generation
antipsychotics (FGAs)
✔✔Name the 4 first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) - ✔✔1. Haloperidol (Haldol)
2. Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
3. Perphenazine (Trilafon)
4. Fluphenazine (Modecate)
✔✔This drug class contains serotonin-dopamine antagonists - ✔✔Second generation
antipsychotics (SGAs)
✔✔Name the 5 second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) - ✔✔1. Risperidone
(Risperdal)
2. Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
3. Quetiapine (Seroquel)
4. Ziprasidone (Geodon)
5. Clozapine (Clozaril)
✔✔This drug is a third-generation antipsychotic - ✔✔Aripiprazole (Abilify)
✔✔What long acting injectables (LAIs) are associated with increased risk of tardive
dyskinesia (TD) with long term use? - ✔✔haloperidol (Haldol)
fluphenazine (Modecate)
risperidone (Risperdal)
✔✔This is always a last resort intervention and is only appropriate if a patient is an
immediate danger to self or others - ✔✔Seclusion or restraint
✔✔This is one of the very few risk assessment tools that can predict aggression in a 24-
hour period - ✔✔Broset Violence Checklist
✔✔Name 6 ways that the nurse can reassure the patient suffering with psychosis that
they are committed to the patient's safety and comfort - ✔✔1. Use clear and plain words
2. Non-threatening posture
3. Body language should be relaxed, calm, unafraid
4. Ensure basic needs are met
5. Ensure safety, consistent monitoring for HI/SI risk
6. Be empathetic, honest and succinct
