Eric Ford Schizophrenia Shadow
Health Focused Exam / Solved
Schizophrenia Case Study/ Digital
Clinical Experience
SECTION I: Patient History & Chief Complaint
1. What is Eric Ford's chief complaint?
A. Chest pain and shortness of breath
B. Hearing voices for the past seven days
C. Severe headache and dizziness
D. Abdominal pain and nausea
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric reports hearing voices for the past seven days, which have been
increasing in frequency. This is the primary reason he was brought to the ER by his
mother . The auditory hallucinations represent a hallmark positive symptom of
schizophrenia and establish the chief complaint guiding the focused assessment.
2. How does Eric describe his auditory hallucinations?
A. Voices are always male and always loud
B. Voices are sometimes male and sometimes female; more disturbing in silence
,C. Voices only occur at night
D. Voices are always whispering and quiet
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric describes voices that vary between male and female, and he reports that
they are more disturbing when it is quiet. He sometimes listens to music to avoid paying
attention to the voices . This detail is important for understanding symptom
characteristics and coping strategies.
3. How long has Eric been experiencing his current symptoms?
A. 1 day
B. 3 days
C. 7 days
D. 2 months
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric reports hearing voices for the past 7 days and states that the voices have
increased over the last week . The 7-day timeline is a critical finding for establishing the
acute exacerbation pattern.
4. What is Eric Ford's psychiatric diagnosis?
A. Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
B. Major depressive disorder with psychotic features
C. Paranoid schizophrenia, chronic with acute exacerbation
D. Schizoaffective disorder
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric's diagnosis is paranoid schizophrenia, which is chronic with acute
exacerbation . This diagnosis is characterized by disturbances in thought content and
form, perception, affect, language, and social activity, with prominent paranoid
delusions and auditory hallucinations.
,5. At what age was Eric first diagnosed with schizophrenia?
A. 18 years old
B. 20 years old
C. 23 years old
D. 25 years old
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric Ford was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 23 . This represents the
onset of a chronic mental illness requiring ongoing management. The typical age of
onset for schizophrenia in males is late adolescence to early adulthood.
6. How many previous psychiatric hospitalizations has Eric had?
A. One previous hospitalization
B. Two previous hospitalizations
C. Three previous hospitalizations
D. No previous hospitalizations
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric has had three previous hospitalizations, with the most recent being 2
years ago . This history of multiple hospitalizations indicates a chronic course of illness
with recurrent exacerbations, which is common in schizophrenia.
7. What significant psychiatric event occurred when Eric was age 25?
A. He was first diagnosed with schizophrenia
B. He had his first psychiatric hospitalization
C. He attempted suicide by overdose
D. He was hospitalized for catatonia
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Eric's history is significant for a suicide attempt by overdose at age 25,
requiring ICU admission . This is a critical safety consideration in the assessment and
plan of care, highlighting the importance of ongoing suicide risk assessment.
8. What is the status of Eric's medication adherence?
A. He is fully compliant with medications
B. He ran out of medication 9 days ago
C. He never takes his medications
D. He is on a new medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric's mother reports that he ran out of medication 9 days ago . This
medication non-adherence is the likely precipitating factor for the current acute
exacerbation, demonstrating the critical importance of medication access and
adherence in schizophrenia management.
9. What are Eric's home medications?
A. Prozac and Ambien
B. Risperdal 2 mg PO BID and Trazodone 25 mg PO QHS
C. Haldol and Ativan
D. Zyprexa and Seroquel
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric takes Risperdal (risperidone) 2 mg PO BID for psychotic symptoms and
Trazodone 25 mg PO QHS for insomnia . Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic that acts
by antagonizing dopamine and serotonin in the CNS . Trazodone is an antidepressant
often used off-label for insomnia.
10. What is Eric's sleeping pattern according to the history?
Health Focused Exam / Solved
Schizophrenia Case Study/ Digital
Clinical Experience
SECTION I: Patient History & Chief Complaint
1. What is Eric Ford's chief complaint?
A. Chest pain and shortness of breath
B. Hearing voices for the past seven days
C. Severe headache and dizziness
D. Abdominal pain and nausea
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric reports hearing voices for the past seven days, which have been
increasing in frequency. This is the primary reason he was brought to the ER by his
mother . The auditory hallucinations represent a hallmark positive symptom of
schizophrenia and establish the chief complaint guiding the focused assessment.
2. How does Eric describe his auditory hallucinations?
A. Voices are always male and always loud
B. Voices are sometimes male and sometimes female; more disturbing in silence
,C. Voices only occur at night
D. Voices are always whispering and quiet
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric describes voices that vary between male and female, and he reports that
they are more disturbing when it is quiet. He sometimes listens to music to avoid paying
attention to the voices . This detail is important for understanding symptom
characteristics and coping strategies.
3. How long has Eric been experiencing his current symptoms?
A. 1 day
B. 3 days
C. 7 days
D. 2 months
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric reports hearing voices for the past 7 days and states that the voices have
increased over the last week . The 7-day timeline is a critical finding for establishing the
acute exacerbation pattern.
4. What is Eric Ford's psychiatric diagnosis?
A. Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
B. Major depressive disorder with psychotic features
C. Paranoid schizophrenia, chronic with acute exacerbation
D. Schizoaffective disorder
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric's diagnosis is paranoid schizophrenia, which is chronic with acute
exacerbation . This diagnosis is characterized by disturbances in thought content and
form, perception, affect, language, and social activity, with prominent paranoid
delusions and auditory hallucinations.
,5. At what age was Eric first diagnosed with schizophrenia?
A. 18 years old
B. 20 years old
C. 23 years old
D. 25 years old
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric Ford was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 23 . This represents the
onset of a chronic mental illness requiring ongoing management. The typical age of
onset for schizophrenia in males is late adolescence to early adulthood.
6. How many previous psychiatric hospitalizations has Eric had?
A. One previous hospitalization
B. Two previous hospitalizations
C. Three previous hospitalizations
D. No previous hospitalizations
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Eric has had three previous hospitalizations, with the most recent being 2
years ago . This history of multiple hospitalizations indicates a chronic course of illness
with recurrent exacerbations, which is common in schizophrenia.
7. What significant psychiatric event occurred when Eric was age 25?
A. He was first diagnosed with schizophrenia
B. He had his first psychiatric hospitalization
C. He attempted suicide by overdose
D. He was hospitalized for catatonia
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Eric's history is significant for a suicide attempt by overdose at age 25,
requiring ICU admission . This is a critical safety consideration in the assessment and
plan of care, highlighting the importance of ongoing suicide risk assessment.
8. What is the status of Eric's medication adherence?
A. He is fully compliant with medications
B. He ran out of medication 9 days ago
C. He never takes his medications
D. He is on a new medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric's mother reports that he ran out of medication 9 days ago . This
medication non-adherence is the likely precipitating factor for the current acute
exacerbation, demonstrating the critical importance of medication access and
adherence in schizophrenia management.
9. What are Eric's home medications?
A. Prozac and Ambien
B. Risperdal 2 mg PO BID and Trazodone 25 mg PO QHS
C. Haldol and Ativan
D. Zyprexa and Seroquel
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Eric takes Risperdal (risperidone) 2 mg PO BID for psychotic symptoms and
Trazodone 25 mg PO QHS for insomnia . Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic that acts
by antagonizing dopamine and serotonin in the CNS . Trazodone is an antidepressant
often used off-label for insomnia.
10. What is Eric's sleeping pattern according to the history?
