A nurse in an emergency department is assessing an adolescent who has conduct disorder.
Which of the following questions is the priority for the nurse to ask the client?
How do you get along with your peers at school?
Do you have a criminal record
Do you have thoughts of harming yourself
How do you manage your behavior
The Correct Answer is C
The correct answer is choice C: “Do you have thoughts of harming yourself?”.
This is the priority question for the nurse to ask the client because it assesses the client’s risk for suicide, which is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of conduct disorder. The nurse should use a direct and nonjudgmental approach when asking about suicidal ideation and plan.
Choice A: “How do you get along with your peers at school?” is wrong because it is not the most urgent question to ask the client.
While it is important to assess the client’s social relationships and possible peer rejection, this can be done after addressing the client’s safety and mental status.
Choice B: “Do you have a criminal record?” is wrong because it is not relevant to the client’s current condition and might make the client feel defensive or stigmatized.
The nurse should avoid asking questions that imply blame or judgment and focus on the client’s strengths and coping skills.
Choice D: “How do you manage your behavior?” is wrong because it is not appropriate for the nurse to ask the client in an emergency department setting.
This question might imply that the client is responsible for their conduct disorder, which is a complex and multifactorial mental health condition. The nurse should collaborate with the client and their family to develop a behavior management plan that involves positive reinforcement, limit setting, and consistent consequences.
Normal ranges: According to the DSM-5, conduct disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others or societal norms.
The symptoms of conduct disorder include aggression, deceitfulness, destruction of property, serious rule violations, and lack of remorse.
Conduct disorder can cause significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. The prevalence of conduct disorder is estimated to be 4% among children and adolescents.
The risk factors for conduct disorder include genetic factors, neurobiological factors, environmental factors, and psychological factors.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The correct answer is choice C. Determine the client’s Glasgow Coma Scale score. This is because the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a tool to assess the level of consciousness and neurological status of a client who has a closed head injury. The GCS score can help guide the priority of interventions and the need for further diagnostic tests.
Choice A is wrong because an MRI of the brain is not the first action to take for a client who has a closed head injury. An MRI may be indicated later to evaluate the extent of brain damage, but it is not an emergency procedure.
Choice B is wrong because mannitol IV bolus is a medication that reduces intracranial pressure (ICP) by drawing fluid out of the brain tissue. However, mannitol should not be administered before confirming the presence and degree of increased ICP, which can be done by measuring the GCS score and other vital signs.
Choice D is wrong because inserting an indwelling urinary catheter for the client is not the first action to take for a client who has a closed head injury. A urinary catheter may be needed to monitor fluid balance and renal function, but it is not an urgent intervention.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
The correct answer is choice D. Shuffling gait. This is because shuffling gait is a common manifestation of pseudoparkinsonism, which is a condition that mimics the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease due to the use of certain medications that block dopamine receptors, such as haloperidol. Pseudoparkinsonism can cause slowed movements, muscle stiffness, tremor, and postural instability.
Choice A. Nonreactive pupils is wrong because this is not a typical feature of pseudoparkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease.
Nonreactive pupils can be caused by other conditions, such as brain injury, drugs, or eye diseases.
Choice B. Serpentine limb movement is wrong because this is a characteristic of tardive dyskinesia, another drug-induced movement disorder that can result from long-term use of dopamine receptor blocking agents. Tardive dyskinesia causes involuntary movements of the face, tongue, and limbs that are often writhing or twisting.
Choice C. Smacking lips is wrong because this is also a sign of tardive dyskinesia, not pseudoparkinsonism. Smacking lips is one of the orofacial movements that can occur in tardive dyskinesia due to abnormal muscle contractions.
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