CHAPTER 16 SCHIZOPHRENIA EXAM
#3 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A client is admitted to the psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
During the physical examination, the client's arm remains outstretched after the
nurse obtains the pulse and blood pressure, and the nurse must reposition the arm.
The nurse interprets this as what?
Waxy flexibility
Hypervigilance
Retardation
Echopraxia - ANSWER-waxy flexibility
NOTE: Waxy flexibility, the ability to assume and maintain awkward or uncomfortable
positions for long periods, is characteristic of catatonic schizophrenia. Clients
commonly remain in these awkward positions until someone repositions them.
A client diagnosed with schizophrenia has been prescribed clozapine. Which is a
potentially fatal side effect of this medication?
Agranulocytosis
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Tardive dyskinesia
Dystonia - ANSWER-agranulocytosis
NOTE: Agranulocytosis is manifested by a failure of the bone marrow to produce
adequate white blood cells
A nurse is preparing an in-service program about schizophrenia for a group of
psychiatric-mental health nurses. Which would the nurse include as a major reason
for relapse?
Lack of family support
Accessibility to community resources
Non-adherence to prescribed medications
Stigmatization of mental illness - ANSWER-non-adherence to prescribed
medications
A nurse is caring for a client who has been receiving treatment for schizophrenia with
chlorpromazine for the past year. It would be essential for the nurse to monitor the
client for:
weight loss.
torticollis.
hypoglycemia.
,tardive dyskinesia. - ANSWER-tardive dyskinesia
A nurse provides care to a client with schizoaffective disorder during hospitalization
for acute psychosis. Nursing interventions to help the client to establish trust with the
health care team is best accomplished by what?
Offering reassurance in a soft, nonthreatening voice
Reminding the client that delusions are not real
Encouraging the client to participate in group therapy daily
Decrease stressful situations by controlling the client's symptoms - ANSWER-
offering reassurance in a soft, nonthreatening voice
Which data support a nursing diagnosis of impaired verbal communication?
Ambivalence, delusional thinking, and avolition
The presence of neologism, echolalia, and clanging
The presence of neologism, delusions, and anergia
Rapid pacing and running - ANSWER-the presence of neologism, delusions, and
clanging
A client has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Assessment reveals that the client
lives alone. The client's clothing is disheveled, the client's hair is uncombed and
matted, and the client's body has a strange odor. During an interview, the client's
family members voice a desire for the client to live with them when the client is
discharged. Based on the assessment findings, which nursing diagnosis would be
the priority?
Ineffective role performance related to symptoms of schizophrenia
Social isolation related to auditory hallucinations
Dysfunctional family processes related to psychosis
Bathing self-care deficit related to symptoms of schizophrenia - ANSWER-bathing
self-care deficit related to symptoms of schizophrenia
NOTE: The negative symptom of avolition may be so profound that simple activities
of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, or combing hair, may not get done.
Therefore, a priority nursing diagnosis for the client is [bathing] self-care deficit
related to the symptoms of schizophrenia.
A group of nursing students is reviewing the various theories related to the etiology
of schizophrenia. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when
they identify which neurotransmitter as being responsible for hallucinations and
delusions?
Dopamine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) - ANSWER-dopamine
The client's diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder is supported when the nurse
documents what?
, The client reports "hearing voices" for the last 3 months
The client's mother shares that "the client never missed work" even with the disorder
The client's spouse reported that the client "repeated everything I said" for 48 hours
Diagnosis testing confirmed a right parietal brain lesion - ANSWER-the client reports
"hearing voices" for the last 3 months
A client begins to exhibit hallucinations and delusions along with disorganized
speech after forgetting to take antipsychotic medication. The nurse suspects that the
client is at which point in the clinical course of the disorder?
Prodromal phase
Acute illness
Stabilization
Relapse - ANSWER-relapse
NOTE: Relapse involves a return of the symptoms, most often due to the client's
failure to follow the medication regimen.
A client with delusional disorder believes that the cook at the psychiatric hospital is
trying to poison the client. The nurse would record this type of delusion as what?
Erotomanic
Persecutory
Grandiose
Somatic - ANSWER-persecutory
NOTE: The central theme of persecutory delusions is the client's belief that he or she
is being conspired against, cheated on, spied on, followed, poisoned, drugged,
maliciously maligned, harassed, or obstructed in pursuit of long-term goals
The nurse is working with a client with schizophrenia who has cognitive deficits. It is
time for the client to get up and eat breakfast. Which statement by the nurse would
be most effective in helping the client prepare for breakfast?
"I'll expect you in the dining room in 20 minutes."
"First, wash your face and brush your teeth. Then put your clothes on."
"Stay right there and I'll get your clothes."
"Why don't you stay here and I'll get your tray for you." - ANSWER-first, wash your
face and brush your teeth. then put your clothes on
NOTE: The client needs clear direction, with tasks broken into small steps, to begin
to participate in the client's own self-care.
A client with schizophrenia is hearing voices that tell the client to kill the self. What
term is used to identify this type of false sensory perception?
Hallucination
Delusion
Flight of ideas
#3 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A client is admitted to the psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
During the physical examination, the client's arm remains outstretched after the
nurse obtains the pulse and blood pressure, and the nurse must reposition the arm.
The nurse interprets this as what?
Waxy flexibility
Hypervigilance
Retardation
Echopraxia - ANSWER-waxy flexibility
NOTE: Waxy flexibility, the ability to assume and maintain awkward or uncomfortable
positions for long periods, is characteristic of catatonic schizophrenia. Clients
commonly remain in these awkward positions until someone repositions them.
A client diagnosed with schizophrenia has been prescribed clozapine. Which is a
potentially fatal side effect of this medication?
Agranulocytosis
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Tardive dyskinesia
Dystonia - ANSWER-agranulocytosis
NOTE: Agranulocytosis is manifested by a failure of the bone marrow to produce
adequate white blood cells
A nurse is preparing an in-service program about schizophrenia for a group of
psychiatric-mental health nurses. Which would the nurse include as a major reason
for relapse?
Lack of family support
Accessibility to community resources
Non-adherence to prescribed medications
Stigmatization of mental illness - ANSWER-non-adherence to prescribed
medications
A nurse is caring for a client who has been receiving treatment for schizophrenia with
chlorpromazine for the past year. It would be essential for the nurse to monitor the
client for:
weight loss.
torticollis.
hypoglycemia.
,tardive dyskinesia. - ANSWER-tardive dyskinesia
A nurse provides care to a client with schizoaffective disorder during hospitalization
for acute psychosis. Nursing interventions to help the client to establish trust with the
health care team is best accomplished by what?
Offering reassurance in a soft, nonthreatening voice
Reminding the client that delusions are not real
Encouraging the client to participate in group therapy daily
Decrease stressful situations by controlling the client's symptoms - ANSWER-
offering reassurance in a soft, nonthreatening voice
Which data support a nursing diagnosis of impaired verbal communication?
Ambivalence, delusional thinking, and avolition
The presence of neologism, echolalia, and clanging
The presence of neologism, delusions, and anergia
Rapid pacing and running - ANSWER-the presence of neologism, delusions, and
clanging
A client has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Assessment reveals that the client
lives alone. The client's clothing is disheveled, the client's hair is uncombed and
matted, and the client's body has a strange odor. During an interview, the client's
family members voice a desire for the client to live with them when the client is
discharged. Based on the assessment findings, which nursing diagnosis would be
the priority?
Ineffective role performance related to symptoms of schizophrenia
Social isolation related to auditory hallucinations
Dysfunctional family processes related to psychosis
Bathing self-care deficit related to symptoms of schizophrenia - ANSWER-bathing
self-care deficit related to symptoms of schizophrenia
NOTE: The negative symptom of avolition may be so profound that simple activities
of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, or combing hair, may not get done.
Therefore, a priority nursing diagnosis for the client is [bathing] self-care deficit
related to the symptoms of schizophrenia.
A group of nursing students is reviewing the various theories related to the etiology
of schizophrenia. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when
they identify which neurotransmitter as being responsible for hallucinations and
delusions?
Dopamine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) - ANSWER-dopamine
The client's diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder is supported when the nurse
documents what?
, The client reports "hearing voices" for the last 3 months
The client's mother shares that "the client never missed work" even with the disorder
The client's spouse reported that the client "repeated everything I said" for 48 hours
Diagnosis testing confirmed a right parietal brain lesion - ANSWER-the client reports
"hearing voices" for the last 3 months
A client begins to exhibit hallucinations and delusions along with disorganized
speech after forgetting to take antipsychotic medication. The nurse suspects that the
client is at which point in the clinical course of the disorder?
Prodromal phase
Acute illness
Stabilization
Relapse - ANSWER-relapse
NOTE: Relapse involves a return of the symptoms, most often due to the client's
failure to follow the medication regimen.
A client with delusional disorder believes that the cook at the psychiatric hospital is
trying to poison the client. The nurse would record this type of delusion as what?
Erotomanic
Persecutory
Grandiose
Somatic - ANSWER-persecutory
NOTE: The central theme of persecutory delusions is the client's belief that he or she
is being conspired against, cheated on, spied on, followed, poisoned, drugged,
maliciously maligned, harassed, or obstructed in pursuit of long-term goals
The nurse is working with a client with schizophrenia who has cognitive deficits. It is
time for the client to get up and eat breakfast. Which statement by the nurse would
be most effective in helping the client prepare for breakfast?
"I'll expect you in the dining room in 20 minutes."
"First, wash your face and brush your teeth. Then put your clothes on."
"Stay right there and I'll get your clothes."
"Why don't you stay here and I'll get your tray for you." - ANSWER-first, wash your
face and brush your teeth. then put your clothes on
NOTE: The client needs clear direction, with tasks broken into small steps, to begin
to participate in the client's own self-care.
A client with schizophrenia is hearing voices that tell the client to kill the self. What
term is used to identify this type of false sensory perception?
Hallucination
Delusion
Flight of ideas
