PRNU 235: Psychiatric and Mental Health
Nursing Final Exam Review| 2025/2026.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
- impairment in communication/interaction
- restrictive or repetitive behaviors/sensory interests
- difficulty with transitions
- language difficulties vary
- co-occurs with sleep disorders, feeding disorders, epilepsy
- wide variation in functioning
- not prone to violence
A nurse is caring for a 5 y/o child. Parents report expected development until age 3 then began
speaking less, avoiding physical touch, and showing less emotion. Child is now withdrawn, doesn't
want to play with other children, places toys and shoes in rows, eats only 3 foods. Last physical exam
was 3 years ago. Child does not attend school bc parents say they 'aren't ready'. Child is awake and
alert but doesn't respond when spoken to and avoids eye contact. Persistently shakes both hands
and rocks back and forth when sitting still. What actions should the nurse take to aid in determining
a diagnosis for the child?
- complete physical assessment
- intervene for children with high risk behaviors
- obtain family history
- obtain complete medical history
- obtain pregnancy and birth history
- provide reassurance to parents
- assess parental acceptance
- provide referral to appropriate services (speech, PT, special education)
A nurse working at a wellness center discussing developmental milestones with guardians of a 2 y/o.
One parent says the 'child does not behave like others at the park or at play dates, I think there
might be something wrong'. Which is a therapeutic response to the guardians concern?
A. Since neurodevelopmental disorders aren't usually apparent until a child goes to school, it's best
to wait until they are of school age to do testing.
B. Some children lag slightly in neurodevelopment, so your child will likely catch up to other children
their age as they grow.
C. Let's do a neurodevelopmental screening for your child at this visit to investigate your concerns
D. We should arrange for a cognitive function assessment right away if there is a history of
neurodevelopmental disorders in your family
C. Because a child usually manifests neurodevelopmental disorder cues at an early age, regular
screenings at visits are important and should occur whenever a concern is raised.
A nurse is providing an inservice training to a group of newly licensed nurses about their function as
part of the interdisciplinary team providing care to clients who have neurodevelopmental disorders.
Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the presentation?
A. The presence of comorbidities in many clients who have neurodevelopmental disorders requires
, working with various providers in order to deliver effective services
B. A nurse who works in an interprofessional team shares liability for any treatment problems or
errors
C. Nurses are limited to facilitating the treatment team's agenda
D. Working in an interprofessional team provides a better protection against client violence
A., person centered care requires the nurse to help coordinate all aspects of care, ensuring that the
whole person and each condition receives appropriate attention
Which of the following behaviors is commonly associated with clients who have autism spectrum
disorder?
A. Pretends by role-playing
B. Lines up toys in their bedroom
C. Washes their hands multiple times a day
D. Repetitive involuntary movement
B. Lines up toys in their bedroom, clients who have ASD might participate in repetitive and restrictive
activities
ADHD or ASD?
Emma is a 10 y/o girl in 4th grade who has poor academic performance (mostly language, social
sciences, science), she says it's difficult to go to school and she is shy and reserved. She's the
younger of two sisters and the oldest is an outstanding pupil. Her mother says she's a quiet girl who
needs lots of time to do a task, she also often gazes into space and has difficulty maintaining
conversations, paying attention to others, and following the rules in games. She is impatient and will
scream in frustration during these interactions but it is the only time that she will display aggressive
or angry behaviors.
Emma meets criteria for ADHD- likely inattentive subtype. She does not maintain attention in school,
has poor academic performance, and no signs of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
What can we do for Emma?
Emma will benefit from coaching on organizational skills, medication management to improve her
focus, and IEP for accommodation in school. She will also benefit from an evaluation for any other
learning disabilities.
A nurse is educating the guardians of a child diagnosed with ADHD about the condition. Which of the
following statements by the parents should indicate to the nurse an understanding of the teaching?
A. Early intervention and therapy can enhance my child's ability to learn, improve their behavior, and
increase their social skills.
B. Medication therapy is the only effective way to control my child's behavior
C. Proper prenatal care and maintaining a healthy pregnancy can prevent me from having another
child with ADHD
D. ADHD cannot be cured and there is no effective way to treat the condition
A. Early intervention and therapy can enhance my child's ability to learn, improve their behavior, and
increase their social skills.
Behavioral, speech, occupational therapy and other early interventions can enhance learning,
behavior, school functioning, communication, social skills, and overall brain development
Define ODD
Nursing Final Exam Review| 2025/2026.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
- impairment in communication/interaction
- restrictive or repetitive behaviors/sensory interests
- difficulty with transitions
- language difficulties vary
- co-occurs with sleep disorders, feeding disorders, epilepsy
- wide variation in functioning
- not prone to violence
A nurse is caring for a 5 y/o child. Parents report expected development until age 3 then began
speaking less, avoiding physical touch, and showing less emotion. Child is now withdrawn, doesn't
want to play with other children, places toys and shoes in rows, eats only 3 foods. Last physical exam
was 3 years ago. Child does not attend school bc parents say they 'aren't ready'. Child is awake and
alert but doesn't respond when spoken to and avoids eye contact. Persistently shakes both hands
and rocks back and forth when sitting still. What actions should the nurse take to aid in determining
a diagnosis for the child?
- complete physical assessment
- intervene for children with high risk behaviors
- obtain family history
- obtain complete medical history
- obtain pregnancy and birth history
- provide reassurance to parents
- assess parental acceptance
- provide referral to appropriate services (speech, PT, special education)
A nurse working at a wellness center discussing developmental milestones with guardians of a 2 y/o.
One parent says the 'child does not behave like others at the park or at play dates, I think there
might be something wrong'. Which is a therapeutic response to the guardians concern?
A. Since neurodevelopmental disorders aren't usually apparent until a child goes to school, it's best
to wait until they are of school age to do testing.
B. Some children lag slightly in neurodevelopment, so your child will likely catch up to other children
their age as they grow.
C. Let's do a neurodevelopmental screening for your child at this visit to investigate your concerns
D. We should arrange for a cognitive function assessment right away if there is a history of
neurodevelopmental disorders in your family
C. Because a child usually manifests neurodevelopmental disorder cues at an early age, regular
screenings at visits are important and should occur whenever a concern is raised.
A nurse is providing an inservice training to a group of newly licensed nurses about their function as
part of the interdisciplinary team providing care to clients who have neurodevelopmental disorders.
Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the presentation?
A. The presence of comorbidities in many clients who have neurodevelopmental disorders requires
, working with various providers in order to deliver effective services
B. A nurse who works in an interprofessional team shares liability for any treatment problems or
errors
C. Nurses are limited to facilitating the treatment team's agenda
D. Working in an interprofessional team provides a better protection against client violence
A., person centered care requires the nurse to help coordinate all aspects of care, ensuring that the
whole person and each condition receives appropriate attention
Which of the following behaviors is commonly associated with clients who have autism spectrum
disorder?
A. Pretends by role-playing
B. Lines up toys in their bedroom
C. Washes their hands multiple times a day
D. Repetitive involuntary movement
B. Lines up toys in their bedroom, clients who have ASD might participate in repetitive and restrictive
activities
ADHD or ASD?
Emma is a 10 y/o girl in 4th grade who has poor academic performance (mostly language, social
sciences, science), she says it's difficult to go to school and she is shy and reserved. She's the
younger of two sisters and the oldest is an outstanding pupil. Her mother says she's a quiet girl who
needs lots of time to do a task, she also often gazes into space and has difficulty maintaining
conversations, paying attention to others, and following the rules in games. She is impatient and will
scream in frustration during these interactions but it is the only time that she will display aggressive
or angry behaviors.
Emma meets criteria for ADHD- likely inattentive subtype. She does not maintain attention in school,
has poor academic performance, and no signs of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
What can we do for Emma?
Emma will benefit from coaching on organizational skills, medication management to improve her
focus, and IEP for accommodation in school. She will also benefit from an evaluation for any other
learning disabilities.
A nurse is educating the guardians of a child diagnosed with ADHD about the condition. Which of the
following statements by the parents should indicate to the nurse an understanding of the teaching?
A. Early intervention and therapy can enhance my child's ability to learn, improve their behavior, and
increase their social skills.
B. Medication therapy is the only effective way to control my child's behavior
C. Proper prenatal care and maintaining a healthy pregnancy can prevent me from having another
child with ADHD
D. ADHD cannot be cured and there is no effective way to treat the condition
A. Early intervention and therapy can enhance my child's ability to learn, improve their behavior, and
increase their social skills.
Behavioral, speech, occupational therapy and other early interventions can enhance learning,
behavior, school functioning, communication, social skills, and overall brain development
Define ODD
