NSG 221 Mental Health Exam Three (Modules 7, 8, 9, & 10) Questions and Answers Graded A+
T/F Depressed individuals who are newly taking antidepressant medication are at an increased
risk for suicide - Answers True
T/F Antidepressant medicatoins can be discontinued quickly by a client - Answers False
T/F Electroconvulsive therapy can be safely adminsitered to pregnant women - Answers Tru
T/F Depressed individuals can experience a lack of energy known as anhedonia - Answers False
T/F A lithium level of 1.6 mEq/L is within the therapeutic range - Answers False (0.6 to 1.2)
Kindling Definition - Answers A process by which seizure activity in the brain is initially
stimulated by the cumulative effects of stress, low amounts of electrical impulses, or chemicals
that sensitize the neuronal pathways
Clients taking MAOIs and who eat foods contiaing tyramine risk experiencing a BLANK, which is
potentially fatal - Answers BLANK: hypertensive crisis
An individual experiencing mania can exhibit rapidly changing emotions, alos known as: -
Answers Liable
What is the term that refers to having thoughts of killing onself? - Answers Suicidal Idiation
Mild Anxiety Definition - Answers Mild anxiety is a sensation that something is different and
warrants special attention. Sensory stimulation increases and helps the person focus attention
to learn, solve problems, think, act, feel, and protect him or herself. Mild anxiety often motivates
people to make changes or engage in goal-directed activity.
Mild Anxiety Physiological Responses: - Answers Restlessness, Fidgeting, GI "butterflies",
Difficulty Sleeping, Hypersensitivity to Noise.
Moderate Anxiety Definition - Answers Moderate anxiety is the disturbing feeling that something
is definitely wrong; the person becomes nervous or agitated. In moderate anxiety, the person
can still process information, solve problems, and learn new things with assistance from others.
He or she has difficulty concentrating independently but can be redirected to the topic.
Moderate Anxiety Physiological Responses: - Answers Muscle Tension, Diaphoresis, Pounding
Pulse, Headache, Dry Mouth, Fast Speech, GI Upset, Frequent Urination
Severe Anxiety/Panic Definition - Answers As the person progresses to severe anxiety and panic,
more primitive survival skills take over, defensive responses ensue, and cognitive skills
decrease significantly. A person with severe anxiety has trouble thinking and reasoning.
Muscles tighten, and vital signs increase. The person paces; is restless, irritable, and angry; or
uses other similar emotional-psychomotor means to release tension. In panic, the emotional-
psychomotor realm predominates with accompanying fight, flight, or freeze responses.
, Adrenaline surge greatly increases vital signs. Pupils enlarge to let in more light, and the only
cognitive process focuses on the person's defense.
Severe Anxiety Physiological Response: - Answers Severe headache, Nausea, vomiting, and
diarrhea, Trembling, Rigid stance, Vertigo, Pale, Tachycardia, Chest pain
Panic Physiological Responses: - Answers May bolt and run or totally immobile and mute,
Dilated pupils, Increased blood pressure and pulse, Flight, fight, or freeze
Nursing Interventions Mild Anxiety: - Answers Mild anxiety is an asset to the client and requires
no direct intervention. People with mild anxiety can learn and solve problems and are even eager
for information. Teaching can be effective when the client is mildly anxious.
Nursing Interventions Moderate Anxiety: - Answers With moderate anxiety, the nurse must be
certain that the client is following what the nurse is saying. The client's attention can wander,
and he or she may have some difficulty concentrating over time. Speaking in short, simple, and
easy-to-understand sentences is effective; the nurse must stop to ensure that the client is still
taking in information correctly. The nurse may need to redirect the client back to the topic if the
client goes off on a tangent.
Nursing Interventions: Panic - Answers During panic anxiety, the person's safety is the primary
concern. The nurse must keep talking to the person in a comforting manner, even though the
client cannot process what the nurse is saying. Going to a small, quiet, and nonstimulating
environment may help reduce anxiety. The nurse can reassure the person that this is anxiety, it
will pass, and he or she is in a safe place. The nurse should remain with the client until the panic
recedes. Panic-level anxiety is not indefinite, but it can last from 5 to 30 minutes.
Nursing interventions Severe Anxiety: - Answers When anxiety becomes severe, the client can
no longer pay attention or take in information. The nurse's goal must be to lower the person's
anxiety level to moderate or mild before proceeding with anything else. It is also essential to
remain with the person because anxiety is likely to worsen if he or she is left alone. Talking to
the client in a low, calm, and soothing voice can help. If the person cannot sit still, walking with
him or her while talking can be effective. What the nurse talks about matters less than how he
or she says the words. Helping the person take deep even breaths can help lower anxiety.
Malingering - Answers Malingering is the intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated
physical or psychological symptoms; it is motivated by external incentives such as avoiding
work, evading criminal prosecution, obtaining financial compensation, or obtaining drugs.
People who malinger have no real physical symptoms or grossly exaggerate relatively minor
symptoms. Their purpose is some external incentive or outcome that they view as important
and results directly from the illness. People who malinger can stop the physical symptoms as
soon as they have gained what they wanted
Factitious Disorder - Answers Factitious disorder, imposed on self, occurs when a person
T/F Depressed individuals who are newly taking antidepressant medication are at an increased
risk for suicide - Answers True
T/F Antidepressant medicatoins can be discontinued quickly by a client - Answers False
T/F Electroconvulsive therapy can be safely adminsitered to pregnant women - Answers Tru
T/F Depressed individuals can experience a lack of energy known as anhedonia - Answers False
T/F A lithium level of 1.6 mEq/L is within the therapeutic range - Answers False (0.6 to 1.2)
Kindling Definition - Answers A process by which seizure activity in the brain is initially
stimulated by the cumulative effects of stress, low amounts of electrical impulses, or chemicals
that sensitize the neuronal pathways
Clients taking MAOIs and who eat foods contiaing tyramine risk experiencing a BLANK, which is
potentially fatal - Answers BLANK: hypertensive crisis
An individual experiencing mania can exhibit rapidly changing emotions, alos known as: -
Answers Liable
What is the term that refers to having thoughts of killing onself? - Answers Suicidal Idiation
Mild Anxiety Definition - Answers Mild anxiety is a sensation that something is different and
warrants special attention. Sensory stimulation increases and helps the person focus attention
to learn, solve problems, think, act, feel, and protect him or herself. Mild anxiety often motivates
people to make changes or engage in goal-directed activity.
Mild Anxiety Physiological Responses: - Answers Restlessness, Fidgeting, GI "butterflies",
Difficulty Sleeping, Hypersensitivity to Noise.
Moderate Anxiety Definition - Answers Moderate anxiety is the disturbing feeling that something
is definitely wrong; the person becomes nervous or agitated. In moderate anxiety, the person
can still process information, solve problems, and learn new things with assistance from others.
He or she has difficulty concentrating independently but can be redirected to the topic.
Moderate Anxiety Physiological Responses: - Answers Muscle Tension, Diaphoresis, Pounding
Pulse, Headache, Dry Mouth, Fast Speech, GI Upset, Frequent Urination
Severe Anxiety/Panic Definition - Answers As the person progresses to severe anxiety and panic,
more primitive survival skills take over, defensive responses ensue, and cognitive skills
decrease significantly. A person with severe anxiety has trouble thinking and reasoning.
Muscles tighten, and vital signs increase. The person paces; is restless, irritable, and angry; or
uses other similar emotional-psychomotor means to release tension. In panic, the emotional-
psychomotor realm predominates with accompanying fight, flight, or freeze responses.
, Adrenaline surge greatly increases vital signs. Pupils enlarge to let in more light, and the only
cognitive process focuses on the person's defense.
Severe Anxiety Physiological Response: - Answers Severe headache, Nausea, vomiting, and
diarrhea, Trembling, Rigid stance, Vertigo, Pale, Tachycardia, Chest pain
Panic Physiological Responses: - Answers May bolt and run or totally immobile and mute,
Dilated pupils, Increased blood pressure and pulse, Flight, fight, or freeze
Nursing Interventions Mild Anxiety: - Answers Mild anxiety is an asset to the client and requires
no direct intervention. People with mild anxiety can learn and solve problems and are even eager
for information. Teaching can be effective when the client is mildly anxious.
Nursing Interventions Moderate Anxiety: - Answers With moderate anxiety, the nurse must be
certain that the client is following what the nurse is saying. The client's attention can wander,
and he or she may have some difficulty concentrating over time. Speaking in short, simple, and
easy-to-understand sentences is effective; the nurse must stop to ensure that the client is still
taking in information correctly. The nurse may need to redirect the client back to the topic if the
client goes off on a tangent.
Nursing Interventions: Panic - Answers During panic anxiety, the person's safety is the primary
concern. The nurse must keep talking to the person in a comforting manner, even though the
client cannot process what the nurse is saying. Going to a small, quiet, and nonstimulating
environment may help reduce anxiety. The nurse can reassure the person that this is anxiety, it
will pass, and he or she is in a safe place. The nurse should remain with the client until the panic
recedes. Panic-level anxiety is not indefinite, but it can last from 5 to 30 minutes.
Nursing interventions Severe Anxiety: - Answers When anxiety becomes severe, the client can
no longer pay attention or take in information. The nurse's goal must be to lower the person's
anxiety level to moderate or mild before proceeding with anything else. It is also essential to
remain with the person because anxiety is likely to worsen if he or she is left alone. Talking to
the client in a low, calm, and soothing voice can help. If the person cannot sit still, walking with
him or her while talking can be effective. What the nurse talks about matters less than how he
or she says the words. Helping the person take deep even breaths can help lower anxiety.
Malingering - Answers Malingering is the intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated
physical or psychological symptoms; it is motivated by external incentives such as avoiding
work, evading criminal prosecution, obtaining financial compensation, or obtaining drugs.
People who malinger have no real physical symptoms or grossly exaggerate relatively minor
symptoms. Their purpose is some external incentive or outcome that they view as important
and results directly from the illness. People who malinger can stop the physical symptoms as
soon as they have gained what they wanted
Factitious Disorder - Answers Factitious disorder, imposed on self, occurs when a person
