NUR2459 Exam 4 V2 | NUR 2459 Mental
and Behavioral Health Nursing Exam Q&A
| Rasmussen University
1. A nurse is assessing a child with ADHD. Which of the following side effects is most
commonly associated with stimulant medications like methylphenidate?
A. Appetite suppression and weight loss
B. Excessive sleepiness and sedation
C. Increased appetite and weight gain
D. Bradycardia and hypotension
Answer: A
Rationale: Stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, such as methylphenidate or
amphetamine salts, frequently cause a decrease in appetite and subsequent weight loss.
Nurses should monitor height and weight regularly to ensure growth is not significantly
impaired. Administering the medication after meals can help mitigate this effect.
2. A 75-year-old patient is unable to recognize familiar objects such as a toothbrush or a comb
despite having intact sensory function. This is documented as:
A. Aphasia
B. Agnosia
C. Apraxia
,D. Anhedonia
Answer: B
Rationale: Agnosia is the loss of sensory ability to recognize objects, people, or sounds
despite having the physical ability to see or hear. This is a common cognitive deficit in
Alzheimer’s disease. It differs from apraxia, which is the inability to perform motor tasks,
and aphasia, which is a language impairment.
3. In family therapy, a nurse notices that two parents are focusing on their child’s behavioral
issues to avoid dealing with their own marital conflict. This is an example of:
A. Enmeshment
B. Differentiation
C. Triangulation
D. Scapegoating
Answer: C
Rationale: Triangulation occurs when a third person (often a child) is brought into a two-
person conflict to decrease tension between the original pair. This stabilizes the
relationship temporarily but prevents the primary conflict from being resolved. It is a
common dynamic in dysfunctional family systems.
4. Which clinical feature distinguishes Conduct Disorder from Oppositional Defiant Disorder
(ODD)?
A. Argumentative behavior with authority figures
, B. Refusal to comply with rules
C. Violation of the basic rights of others or major societal norms
D. Deliberate annoyance of others
Answer: C
Rationale: While both disorders involve defiance, Conduct Disorder involves more severe
behaviors like aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, theft, or
serious rule violations. ODD is primarily characterized by irritability, defiance, and
vindictiveness without the severe antisocial behaviors found in Conduct Disorder.
5. A psychiatric nurse hears a patient state, ‘I’m going to kill my ex-girlfriend when I get out of
here.’ What is the nurse’s priority legal and ethical duty?
A. Maintain patient confidentiality at all costs
B. Inform the treatment team and ensure the potential victim is warned (Duty to Warn)
C. Place the patient in immediate seclusion
D. Wait for the patient to sign a ‘no-harm’ contract
Answer: B
Rationale: Based on the Tarasoff ruling, mental health professionals have a ‘Duty to Warn’
or protect individuals threatened by a patient. Confidentiality is legally breached when
there is a specific, foreseeable threat of violence against an identifiable victim. The nurse
must follow facility protocol to ensure the safety of the third party.
and Behavioral Health Nursing Exam Q&A
| Rasmussen University
1. A nurse is assessing a child with ADHD. Which of the following side effects is most
commonly associated with stimulant medications like methylphenidate?
A. Appetite suppression and weight loss
B. Excessive sleepiness and sedation
C. Increased appetite and weight gain
D. Bradycardia and hypotension
Answer: A
Rationale: Stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, such as methylphenidate or
amphetamine salts, frequently cause a decrease in appetite and subsequent weight loss.
Nurses should monitor height and weight regularly to ensure growth is not significantly
impaired. Administering the medication after meals can help mitigate this effect.
2. A 75-year-old patient is unable to recognize familiar objects such as a toothbrush or a comb
despite having intact sensory function. This is documented as:
A. Aphasia
B. Agnosia
C. Apraxia
,D. Anhedonia
Answer: B
Rationale: Agnosia is the loss of sensory ability to recognize objects, people, or sounds
despite having the physical ability to see or hear. This is a common cognitive deficit in
Alzheimer’s disease. It differs from apraxia, which is the inability to perform motor tasks,
and aphasia, which is a language impairment.
3. In family therapy, a nurse notices that two parents are focusing on their child’s behavioral
issues to avoid dealing with their own marital conflict. This is an example of:
A. Enmeshment
B. Differentiation
C. Triangulation
D. Scapegoating
Answer: C
Rationale: Triangulation occurs when a third person (often a child) is brought into a two-
person conflict to decrease tension between the original pair. This stabilizes the
relationship temporarily but prevents the primary conflict from being resolved. It is a
common dynamic in dysfunctional family systems.
4. Which clinical feature distinguishes Conduct Disorder from Oppositional Defiant Disorder
(ODD)?
A. Argumentative behavior with authority figures
, B. Refusal to comply with rules
C. Violation of the basic rights of others or major societal norms
D. Deliberate annoyance of others
Answer: C
Rationale: While both disorders involve defiance, Conduct Disorder involves more severe
behaviors like aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, theft, or
serious rule violations. ODD is primarily characterized by irritability, defiance, and
vindictiveness without the severe antisocial behaviors found in Conduct Disorder.
5. A psychiatric nurse hears a patient state, ‘I’m going to kill my ex-girlfriend when I get out of
here.’ What is the nurse’s priority legal and ethical duty?
A. Maintain patient confidentiality at all costs
B. Inform the treatment team and ensure the potential victim is warned (Duty to Warn)
C. Place the patient in immediate seclusion
D. Wait for the patient to sign a ‘no-harm’ contract
Answer: B
Rationale: Based on the Tarasoff ruling, mental health professionals have a ‘Duty to Warn’
or protect individuals threatened by a patient. Confidentiality is legally breached when
there is a specific, foreseeable threat of violence against an identifiable victim. The nurse
must follow facility protocol to ensure the safety of the third party.
