ACE YOUR NUR NSG 552 PHSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM:
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS LATEST 2026/2027
◉ A patient has experienced a stroke (cerebral vascular accident) that
has resulted in damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation does the
nurse conduct to reinforce this diagnosis? a. Observing the patient
pick up a spoon
b. Asking the patient to recite the alphabet
c. Monitoring the patients blood pressure
d. Comparing the patients grip strength in both Answer: b. Asking the
patient to recite the alphabet
◉ The patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic
medications are always prescribed by the doctor. The nurses answer will
be based on information that the therapeutic action of psychotropic
drugs is the result of their effect on:
a. The temporal lobe; especially Wernickes area
b. Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially dopamine
d. The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to the psychotropic
medications Answer: c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially
dopamine
◉ A student nurse mutters that it seems entirely unnecessary to have to
struggle with understanding the anatomy and physiology of the
neurologic system. 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 advance 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 Answer: d. Necessary for
planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those experiencing
psychiatric disorders
◉ 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.
d. There appears to be little connection between stress and diseases of
the body Answer: c. Stress does cause the release of factors that
suppress the immune system.
A patient who has a parietal lobe injury is being evaluated for
psychiatric rehabilitation needs. Of the aspects of functioning listed,
which 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 Answer: d. Processing associations
◉ 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
c. Has difficulty explaining how to go about using the telephone
d. Cannot use his right hand to shave himself or comb his own Answer:
b. Is unable to effectively hold a spoon in the left hand
◉ 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 patients medication
teaching by:
a. Including the patients caregiver in the education 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
d. Encouraging the patient to crush or dissolve the medication to help
with swallowing Answer: a. Including the patients caregiver in the
education
◉ The physician tells the nurse, The medication Im prescribing for the
patient enhances the g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. Which
, patient behavior will provide evidence that the medication therapy is
successful?
a. The patient is actively involved in playing cards with other patients.
b. The patient reports that, I don't feel as anxious as I did a couple of
days ago.
c. The patient reports that both auditory and visual hallucinations have
decreased.
d. The patient says that, I am much happier than before I came to the
hospital. Answer: b. The patient reports that, I don't feel as anxious as
I did a couple of days ago.
◉ The patients family asks whether a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease
creates an increased risk for any mental health issues. What question
would the nurse ask to assess for such a comorbid condition?
a. Has your father exhibited any signs of depression? b. Does your father
seem to experience mood swings?
c. Have you noticed your father talking about seeing things you cant
see?
d. Is your dad preoccupied with behaviors that he needs to repeat
over and over? Answer: a. Has your father exhibited any signs of
depression?
Which explanation for the prescription of donepezil (Aricept) would
the nurse provide for a patient in the early stage of Alzheimers disease?
a. It will increase the metabolism of excess GABA.
b. Excess dopamine will be prevented from attaching to receptor sites.
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS LATEST 2026/2027
◉ A patient has experienced a stroke (cerebral vascular accident) that
has resulted in damage to the Broca area. Which evaluation does the
nurse conduct to reinforce this diagnosis? a. Observing the patient
pick up a spoon
b. Asking the patient to recite the alphabet
c. Monitoring the patients blood pressure
d. Comparing the patients grip strength in both Answer: b. Asking the
patient to recite the alphabet
◉ The patient diagnosed with schizophrenia asks why psychotropic
medications are always prescribed by the doctor. The nurses answer will
be based on information that the therapeutic action of psychotropic
drugs is the result of their effect on:
a. The temporal lobe; especially Wernickes area
b. Dendrites and their ability to transmit electrical impulses
c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially dopamine
d. The peripheral nervous system sensitivity to the psychotropic
medications Answer: c. The regulation of neurotransmitters especially
dopamine
◉ A student nurse mutters that it seems entirely unnecessary to have to
struggle with understanding the anatomy and physiology of the
neurologic system. 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 advance 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 Answer: d. Necessary for
planning psychiatric care for all patients especially those experiencing
psychiatric disorders
◉ 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.
d. There appears to be little connection between stress and diseases of
the body Answer: c. Stress does cause the release of factors that
suppress the immune system.
A patient who has a parietal lobe injury is being evaluated for
psychiatric rehabilitation needs. Of the aspects of functioning listed,
which 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 Answer: d. Processing associations
◉ 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
c. Has difficulty explaining how to go about using the telephone
d. Cannot use his right hand to shave himself or comb his own Answer:
b. Is unable to effectively hold a spoon in the left hand
◉ 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 patients medication
teaching by:
a. Including the patients caregiver in the education 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
d. Encouraging the patient to crush or dissolve the medication to help
with swallowing Answer: a. Including the patients caregiver in the
education
◉ The physician tells the nurse, The medication Im prescribing for the
patient enhances the g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. Which
, patient behavior will provide evidence that the medication therapy is
successful?
a. The patient is actively involved in playing cards with other patients.
b. The patient reports that, I don't feel as anxious as I did a couple of
days ago.
c. The patient reports that both auditory and visual hallucinations have
decreased.
d. The patient says that, I am much happier than before I came to the
hospital. Answer: b. The patient reports that, I don't feel as anxious as
I did a couple of days ago.
◉ The patients family asks whether a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease
creates an increased risk for any mental health issues. What question
would the nurse ask to assess for such a comorbid condition?
a. Has your father exhibited any signs of depression? b. Does your father
seem to experience mood swings?
c. Have you noticed your father talking about seeing things you cant
see?
d. Is your dad preoccupied with behaviors that he needs to repeat
over and over? Answer: a. Has your father exhibited any signs of
depression?
Which explanation for the prescription of donepezil (Aricept) would
the nurse provide for a patient in the early stage of Alzheimers disease?
a. It will increase the metabolism of excess GABA.
b. Excess dopamine will be prevented from attaching to receptor sites.
