SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS NCLEX
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
Which nursing intervention would be most appropriate when caring for an acutely
agitated client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia?
A. Provide neon lights and soft music.
B. Maintain continual eye contact throughout the interview.
C. Use therapeutic touch to increase trust and rapport.
D. Provide personal space to respect the client's boundaries. - ANSWER-ANS: D
The most appropriate nursing intervention is to provide personal space to respect the
client's boundaries. Providing personal space may serve to reduce anxiety and thus
reduce the client's risk for violence.
Which nursing behavior will enhance the establishment of a trusting relationship with
a client diagnosed with schizophrenia?
A. Establishing personal contact with family members.
B. Being reliable, honest, and consistent during interactions.
C. Sharing limited personal information.
D. Sitting close to the client to establish rapport. - ANSWER-ANS: B
The nurse can enhance the establishment of a trusting relationship with a client
diagnosed with schizophrenia by being reliable, honest, and consistent during
interactions. The nurse should also convey acceptance of the client's needs and
maintain a calm attitude when dealing with agitated behavior.
A client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia states, "My psychiatrist is out to get
me. I'm sad that the voice is telling me to stop him." What symptom is the client
exhibiting, and what is the nurse's legal responsibility related to this symptom?
A. Magical thinking; administer an antipsychotic medication
B. Persecutory delusions; orient the client to reality
C. Command hallucinations; warn the psychiatrist
D. Altered thought processes; call an emergency treatment team meeting -
ANSWER-ANS: C
The nurse should determine that the client is exhibiting command hallucinations. The
nurse's legal responsibility is to warn the psychiatrist of the potential for harm. A
client who is demonstrating a risk for violence could potentially become physically,
emotionally, and/or sexually harmful to others or to self.
Which statement should indicate to a nurse that an individual is experiencing a
delusion?
, A. "There's an alien growing in my liver."
B. "I see my dead husband everywhere I go."
C. "The IRS may audit my taxes."
D. "I'm not going to eat my food. It smells like brimstone." - ANSWER-ANS: A
The nurse should recognize that a client who claims that an alien is inside his or her
body is experiencing a delusion. Delusions are false personal beliefs that are
inconsistent with the person's intelligence or cultural background.
A client diagnosed with schizophrenia is slow to respond and appears to be listening
to unseen others. Which medication should a nurse expect a physician to order to
address this type of symptom?
A. Haloperidol (Haldol) to address the negative symptom
B. Clonazepam (Klonopin) to address the positive symptom
C. Risperidone (Risperdal) to address the positive symptom
D. Clozapine (Clozaril) to address the negative symptom - ANSWER-ANS: C
The nurse should expect the physician to order risperidone (Risperdal) to address
the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Risperidone (Risperdal) is an atypical
antipsychotic used to reduce positive symptoms, including disturbances in content of
thought (delusions), form of thought (neologisms), or sensory perception
(hallucinations).
A client is diagnosed with schizophrenia. A physician orders haloperidol (Haldol) 50
mg bid, benztropine (Cogentin) 1 mg prn, and zolpidem (Ambien) 10 mg HS. Which
client behavior would warrant the nurse to administer benztropine?
A. Tactile hallucinations
B. Tardive dyskinesia
C. Restlessness and muscle rigidity
D. Reports of hearing disturbing voices - ANSWER-ANS: C
The symptom of tactile hallucinations and reports of hearing disturbing voices would
be addressed by an antipsychotic medication such as haloperidol. Tardive
dyskinesia, a potentially irreversible condition, would warrant the discontinuation of
an antipsychotic medication such as haloperidol. An anticholinergic medication such
as benztropine would be used to treat the extrapyramidal symptoms of restlessness
and muscle rigidity.
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing a flat affect, paranoid delusions,
anhedonia, anergia, neologisms, and echolalia. Which statement correctly
differentiates the client's positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
A. Paranoid delusions, anhedonia, and anergia are positive symptoms of
schizophrenia.
B. Paranoid delusions, neologisms, and echolalia are positive symptoms of
schizophrenia.
C. Paranoid delusions, anergia, and echolalia are negative symptoms of
schizophrenia.
D. Paranoid delusions, flat affect, and anhedonia are negative symptoms of
schizophrenia. - ANSWER-ANS: B
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS NCLEX
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
Which nursing intervention would be most appropriate when caring for an acutely
agitated client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia?
A. Provide neon lights and soft music.
B. Maintain continual eye contact throughout the interview.
C. Use therapeutic touch to increase trust and rapport.
D. Provide personal space to respect the client's boundaries. - ANSWER-ANS: D
The most appropriate nursing intervention is to provide personal space to respect the
client's boundaries. Providing personal space may serve to reduce anxiety and thus
reduce the client's risk for violence.
Which nursing behavior will enhance the establishment of a trusting relationship with
a client diagnosed with schizophrenia?
A. Establishing personal contact with family members.
B. Being reliable, honest, and consistent during interactions.
C. Sharing limited personal information.
D. Sitting close to the client to establish rapport. - ANSWER-ANS: B
The nurse can enhance the establishment of a trusting relationship with a client
diagnosed with schizophrenia by being reliable, honest, and consistent during
interactions. The nurse should also convey acceptance of the client's needs and
maintain a calm attitude when dealing with agitated behavior.
A client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia states, "My psychiatrist is out to get
me. I'm sad that the voice is telling me to stop him." What symptom is the client
exhibiting, and what is the nurse's legal responsibility related to this symptom?
A. Magical thinking; administer an antipsychotic medication
B. Persecutory delusions; orient the client to reality
C. Command hallucinations; warn the psychiatrist
D. Altered thought processes; call an emergency treatment team meeting -
ANSWER-ANS: C
The nurse should determine that the client is exhibiting command hallucinations. The
nurse's legal responsibility is to warn the psychiatrist of the potential for harm. A
client who is demonstrating a risk for violence could potentially become physically,
emotionally, and/or sexually harmful to others or to self.
Which statement should indicate to a nurse that an individual is experiencing a
delusion?
, A. "There's an alien growing in my liver."
B. "I see my dead husband everywhere I go."
C. "The IRS may audit my taxes."
D. "I'm not going to eat my food. It smells like brimstone." - ANSWER-ANS: A
The nurse should recognize that a client who claims that an alien is inside his or her
body is experiencing a delusion. Delusions are false personal beliefs that are
inconsistent with the person's intelligence or cultural background.
A client diagnosed with schizophrenia is slow to respond and appears to be listening
to unseen others. Which medication should a nurse expect a physician to order to
address this type of symptom?
A. Haloperidol (Haldol) to address the negative symptom
B. Clonazepam (Klonopin) to address the positive symptom
C. Risperidone (Risperdal) to address the positive symptom
D. Clozapine (Clozaril) to address the negative symptom - ANSWER-ANS: C
The nurse should expect the physician to order risperidone (Risperdal) to address
the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Risperidone (Risperdal) is an atypical
antipsychotic used to reduce positive symptoms, including disturbances in content of
thought (delusions), form of thought (neologisms), or sensory perception
(hallucinations).
A client is diagnosed with schizophrenia. A physician orders haloperidol (Haldol) 50
mg bid, benztropine (Cogentin) 1 mg prn, and zolpidem (Ambien) 10 mg HS. Which
client behavior would warrant the nurse to administer benztropine?
A. Tactile hallucinations
B. Tardive dyskinesia
C. Restlessness and muscle rigidity
D. Reports of hearing disturbing voices - ANSWER-ANS: C
The symptom of tactile hallucinations and reports of hearing disturbing voices would
be addressed by an antipsychotic medication such as haloperidol. Tardive
dyskinesia, a potentially irreversible condition, would warrant the discontinuation of
an antipsychotic medication such as haloperidol. An anticholinergic medication such
as benztropine would be used to treat the extrapyramidal symptoms of restlessness
and muscle rigidity.
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing a flat affect, paranoid delusions,
anhedonia, anergia, neologisms, and echolalia. Which statement correctly
differentiates the client's positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
A. Paranoid delusions, anhedonia, and anergia are positive symptoms of
schizophrenia.
B. Paranoid delusions, neologisms, and echolalia are positive symptoms of
schizophrenia.
C. Paranoid delusions, anergia, and echolalia are negative symptoms of
schizophrenia.
D. Paranoid delusions, flat affect, and anhedonia are negative symptoms of
schizophrenia. - ANSWER-ANS: B
