NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1 , EXAM 2 & EXAM 3
LATEST 2026/2027 COMPLETE ACCURATE EXAM ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100%
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS) A NEW UPDATED VERSION 2026
EDITION |GUARANTEED SUCCESS A+ |FULL REVISED NSG 552
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY APPROVED EXAM
NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1
1. A nurse practitioner explains to a patient that "what the body does to the drug" is
known as:
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacokinetics (CORRECT ANSWER)
C. Pharmacotherapeutics
D. Pharmacogenomics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics describes the processes of absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion (ADME)—what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics is what the drug does to the body. Pharmacotherapeutics refers
to the clinical use of drugs to treat disease, while pharmacogenomics studies
genetic influences on drug response .
2. The opening of which ion channel is primarily responsible for initiating an
action potential?
A. Potassium channels
B. Calcium channels
C. Sodium channels (CORRECT ANSWER)
D. Chloride channels
,Rationale: Voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing sodium influx and
depolarization of the neuron, which initiates the action potential. Potassium
channels then open for repolarization. Calcium channels are involved in
neurotransmitter release, and chloride channels mediate inhibitory
neurotransmission .
3. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system?
A. Glutamate
B. Dopamine
C. GABA (CORRECT ANSWER)
D. Norepinephrine
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the CNS, reducing neuronal excitability. Glutamate is the
primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Dopamine and norepinephrine are
monoamines involved in reward, movement, and arousal .
4. A patient asks the nurse, "My wife has breast cancer. Could it be caused by her
chronic depression?" Which response is supported by research data?
A. Too much stress has been proven to cause all kinds of cancer.
B. There have been no research studies done on stress and disease yet.
C. Stress does cause the release of factors that suppress the immune system.
(CORRECT ANSWER)
D. There appears to be little connection between stress and diseases of the body
,Rationale: Research supports that stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing cortisol and other factors that suppress immune
function. This can increase vulnerability to various diseases, though causation of
specific cancers is multifactorial .
5. A patient who has a parietal lobe injury is being evaluated for psychiatric
rehabilitation needs. Which aspect of functioning will the nurse identify as a focus
of nursing intervention?
A. Expression of emotion
B. Detecting auditory stimuli
C. Receiving visual images
D. Processing associations (CORRECT ANSWER)
Rationale: The parietal lobe is responsible for processing associations, including
spatial awareness, perception, and integration of sensory information. The frontal
lobe mediates emotional expression, the temporal lobe processes auditory stimuli,
and the occipital lobe receives visual images .
6. A student nurse questions the necessity of understanding neurologic anatomy
and physiology. The mentor would base a response on the understanding that it is:
A. Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on
behavioral interventions
B. A complex undertaking that advanced practice psychiatric nurses frequently use
in their practice
C. Important primarily for the nursing assessment of patients with brain trauma
caused cognitive symptoms
D. Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those
experiencing psychiatric disorders (CORRECT ANSWER)
, Rationale: Understanding the neurologic system is fundamental to psychiatric
nursing because all psychiatric disorders have neurobiological underpinnings. This
knowledge is essential for planning comprehensive care for all patients
experiencing psychiatric disorders .
7. At admission, the nurse learns that some time ago the patient had an infarct in
the right cerebral cortex. During assessment, the nurse would expect to find that
the patient:
A. Demonstrates major deficiencies in speech
B. Is unable to effectively hold a spoon in the left hand (CORRECT ANSWER)
C. Has difficulty explaining how to go about using the telephone
D. Cannot use his right hand to shave himself or comb his own hair
Rationale: The right cerebral cortex controls motor function on the left side of the
body. An infarct in the right cortex would impair the patient's ability to use the left
hand effectively. Speech deficiencies typically result from left hemisphere damage
(Broca's or Wernicke's areas) .
8. A patient with chronic schizophrenia had a stroke involving the hippocampus.
The patient will be discharged on low doses of haloperidol. The nurse will need to
individualize the patient's medication teaching by:
A. Including the patient's caregiver in the education (CORRECT ANSWER)
B. Being careful to stress the importance of taking the medication as prescribed
C. Providing the education at a time when the patient is emotionally calm and
relaxed
LATEST 2026/2027 COMPLETE ACCURATE EXAM ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100%
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS) A NEW UPDATED VERSION 2026
EDITION |GUARANTEED SUCCESS A+ |FULL REVISED NSG 552
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY APPROVED EXAM
NSG 552 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1
1. A nurse practitioner explains to a patient that "what the body does to the drug" is
known as:
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacokinetics (CORRECT ANSWER)
C. Pharmacotherapeutics
D. Pharmacogenomics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics describes the processes of absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion (ADME)—what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics is what the drug does to the body. Pharmacotherapeutics refers
to the clinical use of drugs to treat disease, while pharmacogenomics studies
genetic influences on drug response .
2. The opening of which ion channel is primarily responsible for initiating an
action potential?
A. Potassium channels
B. Calcium channels
C. Sodium channels (CORRECT ANSWER)
D. Chloride channels
,Rationale: Voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing sodium influx and
depolarization of the neuron, which initiates the action potential. Potassium
channels then open for repolarization. Calcium channels are involved in
neurotransmitter release, and chloride channels mediate inhibitory
neurotransmission .
3. Which neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system?
A. Glutamate
B. Dopamine
C. GABA (CORRECT ANSWER)
D. Norepinephrine
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the CNS, reducing neuronal excitability. Glutamate is the
primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Dopamine and norepinephrine are
monoamines involved in reward, movement, and arousal .
4. A patient asks the nurse, "My wife has breast cancer. Could it be caused by her
chronic depression?" Which response is supported by research data?
A. Too much stress has been proven to cause all kinds of cancer.
B. There have been no research studies done on stress and disease yet.
C. Stress does cause the release of factors that suppress the immune system.
(CORRECT ANSWER)
D. There appears to be little connection between stress and diseases of the body
,Rationale: Research supports that stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing cortisol and other factors that suppress immune
function. This can increase vulnerability to various diseases, though causation of
specific cancers is multifactorial .
5. A patient who has a parietal lobe injury is being evaluated for psychiatric
rehabilitation needs. Which aspect of functioning will the nurse identify as a focus
of nursing intervention?
A. Expression of emotion
B. Detecting auditory stimuli
C. Receiving visual images
D. Processing associations (CORRECT ANSWER)
Rationale: The parietal lobe is responsible for processing associations, including
spatial awareness, perception, and integration of sensory information. The frontal
lobe mediates emotional expression, the temporal lobe processes auditory stimuli,
and the occipital lobe receives visual images .
6. A student nurse questions the necessity of understanding neurologic anatomy
and physiology. The mentor would base a response on the understanding that it is:
A. Necessary but generally for psychiatric nurses who focus primarily on
behavioral interventions
B. A complex undertaking that advanced practice psychiatric nurses frequently use
in their practice
C. Important primarily for the nursing assessment of patients with brain trauma
caused cognitive symptoms
D. Necessary for planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those
experiencing psychiatric disorders (CORRECT ANSWER)
, Rationale: Understanding the neurologic system is fundamental to psychiatric
nursing because all psychiatric disorders have neurobiological underpinnings. This
knowledge is essential for planning comprehensive care for all patients
experiencing psychiatric disorders .
7. At admission, the nurse learns that some time ago the patient had an infarct in
the right cerebral cortex. During assessment, the nurse would expect to find that
the patient:
A. Demonstrates major deficiencies in speech
B. Is unable to effectively hold a spoon in the left hand (CORRECT ANSWER)
C. Has difficulty explaining how to go about using the telephone
D. Cannot use his right hand to shave himself or comb his own hair
Rationale: The right cerebral cortex controls motor function on the left side of the
body. An infarct in the right cortex would impair the patient's ability to use the left
hand effectively. Speech deficiencies typically result from left hemisphere damage
(Broca's or Wernicke's areas) .
8. A patient with chronic schizophrenia had a stroke involving the hippocampus.
The patient will be discharged on low doses of haloperidol. The nurse will need to
individualize the patient's medication teaching by:
A. Including the patient's caregiver in the education (CORRECT ANSWER)
B. Being careful to stress the importance of taking the medication as prescribed
C. Providing the education at a time when the patient is emotionally calm and
relaxed
