Lowdermilk Chapter 31 Mental Health Disorders and
Substance Abuse Questions with Verified Answers
1. When caring for a pregnant woman with cardiac problems, the nurse
must be alert for the signs and symptoms of cardiac decompensation.
Which critical findings would the nurse find on assessment of the client
experiencing this condition?
a. Regular heart rate and hypertension
b. Increased urinary output, tachycardia, and dry cough
c. Shortness of breath, bradycardia, and hypertension
d. Dyspnea, crackles, and an irregular, weak pulse Ans✔✔ -B
An increased appetite and a lack of interest would reassure the nurse that
the client is not experiencing an episode of mania. Clinical
manifestations of a manic episode include at least three of the following:
grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, flight of ideas,
distractibility, psychomotor agitation, and excessive involvement in
pleasurable activities. The pregnant woman exhibiting symptoms of a
manic episode will likely have a decreased interest in eating and an
increased level of interest in pleasurable activities without regard for
negative consequences. Psychomotor agitation and a lack of sleep,
hyperactivity and distractibility, and pressured speech and grandiosity
are all clinical manifestations of a manic episode.
2. When a woman is diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD) with
psychotic features, what is the nurse's primary concern in planning the
client's care?
a. Displaying outbursts of anger
b. Neglecting her hygiene
,c. Harming her infant
d. Losing interest in her husband Ans✔✔ -C
Thoughts of harm to herself or to the infant are among the most serious
symptoms of PPD and require immediate assessment and intervention.
Although outbursts of anger and neglecting personal hygiene are
symptoms attributable to PPD, the major concern remains the potential
of harm to herself or her infant. Although this client is likely to lose
interest in her spouse, it is not the nurse's primary concern.
3. During an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, what is the most
important nursing intervention?
a. Contacting the client's significant other
b. Supervising and guiding visits with her infant
c. Allowing no contact with anyone who annoys her
d. Having the infant with the mother at all times Ans✔✔ -B
In the hospital setting, the reintroduction of the infant to the mother can
and should occur at the mother's own pace. A schedule is set that
increases the number of hours the mother cares for her infant over
several days, culminating in the infant staying overnight in the mother's
room. These supervised and guided visits allow the mother to experience
meeting the infant's needs and giving up sleep for the infant.
Reintroducing the mother to her infant while in a supervised setting is
essential. Another important task for a mother under psychiatric care is
to reestablish positive interactions with others.
,4. Despite warnings, prenatal exposure to alcohol continues to far
exceed exposure to illicit drugs. Which condition is rarely associated
with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
a. Respiratory conditions
b. Intellectual impairment
c. Neural development disorder
d. Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBDs) Ans✔✔ -A
Respiratory difficulties are not attributed to exposure to alcohol in utero.
Other abnormalities related to FAS include mental retardation,
neurodevelopment disorders, and ARBDs.
5. As a powerful central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, which of these
substances can lead to miscarriage, preterm labor, placental separation
(abruption), and stillbirth?
a. Heroin
b. Alcohol
c. Phencyclidine (1-phenylcyclohexylpiperidine; PCP)
d. Cocaine Ans✔✔ -ANS: D
Cocaine is a powerful CNS stimulant. Effects on pregnancy associated
with cocaine use include abruptio placentae, preterm labor, precipitous
birth, and stillbirth. Heroin is an opiate; its use in pregnancy is
associated with preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction,
miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, infections, breech
presentation, and preterm labor. The most serious effect of alcohol use in
pregnancy is FAS. The major concern regarding PCP use in pregnant
, women is its association with polydrug abuse and its neurobehavioral
effects on the neonate.
6. According to research, which risk factor for PPD is likely to have the
greatest effect on the client postpartum?
a. Prenatal depression
b. Single-mother status
c. Low socioeconomic status
d. Unplanned or unwanted pregnancy Ans✔✔ -ANS: A
Prenatal depression has been found to be a major risk factor for PPD.
Single-mother status and low socioeconomic status are both small-
relationship predictors for PPD. Although an unwanted pregnancy may
contribute to the risk for PPD, it does not pose as great an effect as
prenatal depression.
7. Which is the most accurate description of PPD without psychotic
features?
a. Postpartum baby blues requiring the woman to visit with a counselor
or psychologist
b. Condition that is more common among older Caucasian women
because they have higher expectations
c. Distinguishable by pervasive sadness along with mood swings
d. Condition that disappears without outside help Ans✔✔ -C
PPD is characterized by an intense pervasive sadness along with labile
mood swings and is more persistent than postpartum baby blues. PPD,
Substance Abuse Questions with Verified Answers
1. When caring for a pregnant woman with cardiac problems, the nurse
must be alert for the signs and symptoms of cardiac decompensation.
Which critical findings would the nurse find on assessment of the client
experiencing this condition?
a. Regular heart rate and hypertension
b. Increased urinary output, tachycardia, and dry cough
c. Shortness of breath, bradycardia, and hypertension
d. Dyspnea, crackles, and an irregular, weak pulse Ans✔✔ -B
An increased appetite and a lack of interest would reassure the nurse that
the client is not experiencing an episode of mania. Clinical
manifestations of a manic episode include at least three of the following:
grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, flight of ideas,
distractibility, psychomotor agitation, and excessive involvement in
pleasurable activities. The pregnant woman exhibiting symptoms of a
manic episode will likely have a decreased interest in eating and an
increased level of interest in pleasurable activities without regard for
negative consequences. Psychomotor agitation and a lack of sleep,
hyperactivity and distractibility, and pressured speech and grandiosity
are all clinical manifestations of a manic episode.
2. When a woman is diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD) with
psychotic features, what is the nurse's primary concern in planning the
client's care?
a. Displaying outbursts of anger
b. Neglecting her hygiene
,c. Harming her infant
d. Losing interest in her husband Ans✔✔ -C
Thoughts of harm to herself or to the infant are among the most serious
symptoms of PPD and require immediate assessment and intervention.
Although outbursts of anger and neglecting personal hygiene are
symptoms attributable to PPD, the major concern remains the potential
of harm to herself or her infant. Although this client is likely to lose
interest in her spouse, it is not the nurse's primary concern.
3. During an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, what is the most
important nursing intervention?
a. Contacting the client's significant other
b. Supervising and guiding visits with her infant
c. Allowing no contact with anyone who annoys her
d. Having the infant with the mother at all times Ans✔✔ -B
In the hospital setting, the reintroduction of the infant to the mother can
and should occur at the mother's own pace. A schedule is set that
increases the number of hours the mother cares for her infant over
several days, culminating in the infant staying overnight in the mother's
room. These supervised and guided visits allow the mother to experience
meeting the infant's needs and giving up sleep for the infant.
Reintroducing the mother to her infant while in a supervised setting is
essential. Another important task for a mother under psychiatric care is
to reestablish positive interactions with others.
,4. Despite warnings, prenatal exposure to alcohol continues to far
exceed exposure to illicit drugs. Which condition is rarely associated
with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
a. Respiratory conditions
b. Intellectual impairment
c. Neural development disorder
d. Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBDs) Ans✔✔ -A
Respiratory difficulties are not attributed to exposure to alcohol in utero.
Other abnormalities related to FAS include mental retardation,
neurodevelopment disorders, and ARBDs.
5. As a powerful central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, which of these
substances can lead to miscarriage, preterm labor, placental separation
(abruption), and stillbirth?
a. Heroin
b. Alcohol
c. Phencyclidine (1-phenylcyclohexylpiperidine; PCP)
d. Cocaine Ans✔✔ -ANS: D
Cocaine is a powerful CNS stimulant. Effects on pregnancy associated
with cocaine use include abruptio placentae, preterm labor, precipitous
birth, and stillbirth. Heroin is an opiate; its use in pregnancy is
associated with preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction,
miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, infections, breech
presentation, and preterm labor. The most serious effect of alcohol use in
pregnancy is FAS. The major concern regarding PCP use in pregnant
, women is its association with polydrug abuse and its neurobehavioral
effects on the neonate.
6. According to research, which risk factor for PPD is likely to have the
greatest effect on the client postpartum?
a. Prenatal depression
b. Single-mother status
c. Low socioeconomic status
d. Unplanned or unwanted pregnancy Ans✔✔ -ANS: A
Prenatal depression has been found to be a major risk factor for PPD.
Single-mother status and low socioeconomic status are both small-
relationship predictors for PPD. Although an unwanted pregnancy may
contribute to the risk for PPD, it does not pose as great an effect as
prenatal depression.
7. Which is the most accurate description of PPD without psychotic
features?
a. Postpartum baby blues requiring the woman to visit with a counselor
or psychologist
b. Condition that is more common among older Caucasian women
because they have higher expectations
c. Distinguishable by pervasive sadness along with mood swings
d. Condition that disappears without outside help Ans✔✔ -C
PPD is characterized by an intense pervasive sadness along with labile
mood swings and is more persistent than postpartum baby blues. PPD,
