Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
1. A patient asks a nurse, "What B
are neurotransmitters? My doc-
tor says mine are out of bal- Stating that neurotransmitters are chemicals that pass
ance." The best reply would be: messages between brain cells gives the most accurate in-
formation. Neurotransmitters are messengers in the cen-
a. "You must feel relieved to tral nervous system. They are released from the axon ter-
know that your problem has a minal, diffuse across the synapse, and attach to special-
physical basis." ized receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. The incorrect
b. "Neurotransmitters are chem- responses do not answer the patient's question, are de-
icals that pass messages be- meaning, and provide untrue and misleading information.
tween brain cells."
c. "It is a high-level concept to ex-
plain. You should ask the doctor
to tell you more."
d. "Neurotransmitters are sub-
stances we eat daily that influ-
ence memory and mood."
2. The parent of an adolescent D
with schizophrenia asks a nurse,
"My child's doctor ordered a The parent is seeking information about PET scans. It is
positron-emission tomography important to use terms the parent can understand. The
(PET) scan. What is that?" Select correct option is the only reply that provides factual in-
the nurse's best reply. formation relevant to PET scans. The incorrect respons-
es describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comput-
a. "PET uses a magnetic field and ed tomographic (CT) scans, and electroencephalography
gamma waves to identify prob- (EEG).
lems areas in the brain. Does
your teenager have any metal
implants?"
b. "It's a special type of x-ray im-
age that shows structures of the
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
brain and whether a brain injury
has ever occurred."
c. "PET is a scan that passes
an electrical current through the
brain and shows brain wave ac-
tivity. PET can help diagnose
seizures."
d. "PET is a special scan that
shows blood flow and activity in
the brain."
3. A patient has dementia. The A
health care provider wants to
make a differential diagnosis be- A CT scan shows the presence or absence of structural
tween Alzheimer disease and changes, including cortical atrophy, ventricular enlarge-
multiple infarctions. Which diag- ment, and areas of infarction—information that will be
nostic procedure should a nurse helpful to the health care provider. The other tests focus on
expect to prepare the patient for brain activity and are more expensive; they may be ordered
first? later.
a. Computed tomography (CT)
scan
b. Positron emission tomogra-
phy (PET) scan
c. Functional magnetic reso-
nance imaging (fMRI)
d. Single-photon-emission com-
puted tomography (SPECT) scan
4. A patient has delusions and B
hallucinations. Before beginning
treatment with a psychotrop- A CT scan and an MRI visualize neoplasms and other struc-
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
ic medication, the health care tural abnormalities. A PET scan, SPECT scan, and fMRI,
provider wants to rule out the which give information about brain function, are not in-
presence of a brain tumor. For dicated. An arteriogram would not be appropriate.
which test will a nurse need to
prepare the patient?
a. Cerebral arteriogram
b. Computed tomography (CT)
scan or magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI)
c. Positron emission tomog-
raphy (PET) or single photon
emission computed tomography
(SPECT)
d. Functional magnetic reso-
nance imaging (fMRI)
5. The nurse wants to assess C
for disturbances in circadian
rhythms in a patient admitted Mood changes throughout the day are related to circadian
for depression. Which question rhythms. Questions about sleep pattern would also be
best implements this assess- relevant to circadian rhythms. The question about seeing
ment? or hearing things is relevant to the assessment for illusions
and hallucinations. The question about thinking is relevant
a. "Do you ever see or hear to the assessment of thought processes. The other ques-
things that others do not?" tion is relevant to assessment of memory.
b. "Do you have problems with
short-term memory?"
c. "What are your worst and best
times of day?"
d. "How would you describe your
thinking?"
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
6. A nurse administers a medica- A
tion that potentiates the action
of gamma- aminobutyric acid Increased levels of GABA reduce anxiety, thus any poten-
(GABA). Which finding would be tiation of GABA action should result in anxiety reduction.
expected? Memory enhancement is associated with acetylcholine
and substance P. Thought disorganization is associated
a. Reduced anxiety with dopamine. GABA is not associated with sensory per-
b. Improved memory ceptual alterations.
c. More organized thinking
d. Fewer sensory perceptual al-
terations
7. On the basis of current knowl- D
edge of neurotransmitter ef-
fects, a nurse anticipates that Increased acetylcholine plays a role in learning and mem-
the treatment plan for a patient ory. Preventing the destruction of acetylcholine by acetyl-
with memory difficulties may in- cholinesterase results in higher levels of acetylcholine
clude medications designed to: with the potential for improved memory. GABA is known
to affect anxiety level rather than memory. Increased
a. inhibit GABA production. dopamine causes symptoms associated with schizophre-
b. increase dopamine sensitivi- nia or mania rather than improves memory. Decreasing
ty. dopamine at receptor sites is associated with Parkinson
c. decrease dopamine at recep- disease rather than improving memory.
tor sites.
d. prevent destruction of acetyl-
choline.
8. A patient has disorganized think- D
ing associated with schizophre-
nia. Neuroimaging would most The prefrontal cortex is responsible for intellectual func-
likely show dysfunction in which tioning. The temporal lobe is responsible for the sensation
part of the brain? of hearing. The cerebellum regulates skeletal muscle coor-
1. A patient asks a nurse, "What B
are neurotransmitters? My doc-
tor says mine are out of bal- Stating that neurotransmitters are chemicals that pass
ance." The best reply would be: messages between brain cells gives the most accurate in-
formation. Neurotransmitters are messengers in the cen-
a. "You must feel relieved to tral nervous system. They are released from the axon ter-
know that your problem has a minal, diffuse across the synapse, and attach to special-
physical basis." ized receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. The incorrect
b. "Neurotransmitters are chem- responses do not answer the patient's question, are de-
icals that pass messages be- meaning, and provide untrue and misleading information.
tween brain cells."
c. "It is a high-level concept to ex-
plain. You should ask the doctor
to tell you more."
d. "Neurotransmitters are sub-
stances we eat daily that influ-
ence memory and mood."
2. The parent of an adolescent D
with schizophrenia asks a nurse,
"My child's doctor ordered a The parent is seeking information about PET scans. It is
positron-emission tomography important to use terms the parent can understand. The
(PET) scan. What is that?" Select correct option is the only reply that provides factual in-
the nurse's best reply. formation relevant to PET scans. The incorrect respons-
es describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comput-
a. "PET uses a magnetic field and ed tomographic (CT) scans, and electroencephalography
gamma waves to identify prob- (EEG).
lems areas in the brain. Does
your teenager have any metal
implants?"
b. "It's a special type of x-ray im-
age that shows structures of the
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
brain and whether a brain injury
has ever occurred."
c. "PET is a scan that passes
an electrical current through the
brain and shows brain wave ac-
tivity. PET can help diagnose
seizures."
d. "PET is a special scan that
shows blood flow and activity in
the brain."
3. A patient has dementia. The A
health care provider wants to
make a differential diagnosis be- A CT scan shows the presence or absence of structural
tween Alzheimer disease and changes, including cortical atrophy, ventricular enlarge-
multiple infarctions. Which diag- ment, and areas of infarction—information that will be
nostic procedure should a nurse helpful to the health care provider. The other tests focus on
expect to prepare the patient for brain activity and are more expensive; they may be ordered
first? later.
a. Computed tomography (CT)
scan
b. Positron emission tomogra-
phy (PET) scan
c. Functional magnetic reso-
nance imaging (fMRI)
d. Single-photon-emission com-
puted tomography (SPECT) scan
4. A patient has delusions and B
hallucinations. Before beginning
treatment with a psychotrop- A CT scan and an MRI visualize neoplasms and other struc-
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
ic medication, the health care tural abnormalities. A PET scan, SPECT scan, and fMRI,
provider wants to rule out the which give information about brain function, are not in-
presence of a brain tumor. For dicated. An arteriogram would not be appropriate.
which test will a nurse need to
prepare the patient?
a. Cerebral arteriogram
b. Computed tomography (CT)
scan or magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI)
c. Positron emission tomog-
raphy (PET) or single photon
emission computed tomography
(SPECT)
d. Functional magnetic reso-
nance imaging (fMRI)
5. The nurse wants to assess C
for disturbances in circadian
rhythms in a patient admitted Mood changes throughout the day are related to circadian
for depression. Which question rhythms. Questions about sleep pattern would also be
best implements this assess- relevant to circadian rhythms. The question about seeing
ment? or hearing things is relevant to the assessment for illusions
and hallucinations. The question about thinking is relevant
a. "Do you ever see or hear to the assessment of thought processes. The other ques-
things that others do not?" tion is relevant to assessment of memory.
b. "Do you have problems with
short-term memory?"
c. "What are your worst and best
times of day?"
d. "How would you describe your
thinking?"
, Level 3 - RNSG 2213 - Review for Exam 2
6. A nurse administers a medica- A
tion that potentiates the action
of gamma- aminobutyric acid Increased levels of GABA reduce anxiety, thus any poten-
(GABA). Which finding would be tiation of GABA action should result in anxiety reduction.
expected? Memory enhancement is associated with acetylcholine
and substance P. Thought disorganization is associated
a. Reduced anxiety with dopamine. GABA is not associated with sensory per-
b. Improved memory ceptual alterations.
c. More organized thinking
d. Fewer sensory perceptual al-
terations
7. On the basis of current knowl- D
edge of neurotransmitter ef-
fects, a nurse anticipates that Increased acetylcholine plays a role in learning and mem-
the treatment plan for a patient ory. Preventing the destruction of acetylcholine by acetyl-
with memory difficulties may in- cholinesterase results in higher levels of acetylcholine
clude medications designed to: with the potential for improved memory. GABA is known
to affect anxiety level rather than memory. Increased
a. inhibit GABA production. dopamine causes symptoms associated with schizophre-
b. increase dopamine sensitivi- nia or mania rather than improves memory. Decreasing
ty. dopamine at receptor sites is associated with Parkinson
c. decrease dopamine at recep- disease rather than improving memory.
tor sites.
d. prevent destruction of acetyl-
choline.
8. A patient has disorganized think- D
ing associated with schizophre-
nia. Neuroimaging would most The prefrontal cortex is responsible for intellectual func-
likely show dysfunction in which tioning. The temporal lobe is responsible for the sensation
part of the brain? of hearing. The cerebellum regulates skeletal muscle coor-
