A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client to an acute mental health unit following a suicide attempt. The client has a history of depression, substance abuse, and anorexia nervosa. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Initiate one-to-one nursing observation.

Make a contract with the client for weight gain.

Administer the Hamilton depression scale.

Review the client's toxicology laboratory report.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

initiate one-to-one nursing observation, as this is the most urgent intervention to ensure the safety of the client. The client has a history of depression, substance abuse, anorexia nervosa, and attempted suicide, which indicates that they are at high risk for harm to themselves. One-to-one observation involves an assigned staff member who will be with the client at all times, ensuring their safety and preventing any further self-harm attempts.

Choice B, making a contract with the client for weight gain, is not an appropriate first action as it does not address the client's immediate safety concerns.

Choice C, administering the Hamilton depression scale, may be important to assess the client's depressive symptoms but is not the most urgent priority.

Choice D, reviewing the client's toxicology laboratory report, may be necessary for the overall assessment of the client, but safety comes first.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The nurse should determine the patient's triage level and examine and stabilize the patient as needed when caring for a patient without health insurance who is limping and dripping blood from a head wound in the Emergency department. This intervention is the priority because the patient could be at risk of life-threatening complications if their condition is left untreated. Giving the patient information about facilities that specialize in treating people without health insurance, choice B, and asking the patient to sign in and provide method of payment for services, choice C, may be necessary but are not the priority at this time. Transferring the patient to a hospital that specializes in traumatic brain injuries, choice D, may be necessary after stabilizing the patient, but it is not the priority at this time.

A. The client talks constantly about the traumatic experience. B. The client is constantly drowsy and sleeps 11-12 hr daily. C. The client reports satisfying personal relationships with family and close friends. D. The client is easily startled by loud voices.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The client is easily startled by loud voices. Clients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may exhibit hyperarousal symptoms, including exaggerated startle responses and hypervigilance. The client talking constantly about the traumatic experience is a possible finding in PTSD but not specific. The client is constantly drowsy and sleeping 11-12 hours daily is more associated with depression than PTSD. While the client may have satisfying personal relationships, it does not address the question of what finding to expect with PTSD, making choice C incorrect.

Reasons why the other choices are not answers:

Choice A, the client talking constantly about the traumatic experience, is a possible symptom of PTSD, but it is not specific to the disorder and may also indicate other disorders.

Choice B, the client being constantly drowsy and sleeping 11-12 hours daily, is more indicative of depression than PTSD and also does not address the question of finding expected with PTSD.

Choice C, the client reports satisfying personal relationships with family and close friends, does not address what finding is expected with PTSD, making it an incorrect answer.

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A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client to an acute mental health unit following a suicide attempt. The client has a history of depression, substance abuse, and anorexia nervosa. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A patient without health insurance comes into the Emergency department limping and dripping blood from a head wound. Which of the following should be done first for this patient?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a client who witnessed her brother's homicide and has posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse in a community clinic is speaking to other nurses about risk factors for domestic violence. Which of the following statements by one of the other nurses indicates the need for further teaching?

A nurse is caring for a patient who is at risk for shock. Which of the following findings is the earliest indicator that this complication is developing?

A nurse in a community clinic is caring for a 20-month-old toddler who has spiral fractures of the right ulna and radius. Which of the following findings should the nurse recognize as a potential indication of abuse?

An assistive personnel (AP) says to the nurse, "This client is incontinent of stool three or four times a day. I get angry because I think that the client might be doing it just to get attention." Which of the following responses by the nurse is therapeutic?

A nurse is discussing comorbidities associated with eating disorders with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following comorbidities should the nurse include in the discussion? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is caring for a patient who has a traumatic brain injury. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication of increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?

The nurse is collecting data from a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Which of the following findings should the nurse expect? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is discussing insomnia management techniques with a group of clients who have anxiety disorders. Which of the following techniques mentioned by a client requires further teaching?