A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a newly-admitted client who has schizophrenia and a history of aggressive behavior.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the initial plan?
Warn the client that the staff will use seclusion as a consequence if there are repeated reports of hallucination.
Keep the facility’s security personnel constantly visible to the client throughout treatment.
Collaborate with the client to develop a daily physical exercise routine.
Agree that the hallucinations are real if the client exhibits aggressive behavior toward other clients.
The Correct Answer is C
Collaborate with the client to develop a daily physical exercise routine. This intervention can help reduce aggression and impulsivity in schizophrenia by providing an outlet for frustration, enhancing self-esteem, and improving mood. Physical exercise can also improve physical health and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome associated with antipsychotic medications.
Choice A is wrong because warning the client that the staff will use seclusion as a consequence if there are repeated reports of hallucination is punitive and threatening. This can increase the client’s anxiety, paranoia, and hostility, and may worsen the psychotic symptoms. Seclusion should only be used as a last resort when the client poses a serious danger to self or others, and not as a punishment or coercion.
Choice B is wrong because keeping the facility’s security personnel constantly visible to the client throughout treatment is intimidating and stigmatizing. This can also increase the client’s fear, distrust, and resentment, and may trigger aggressive behavior. Security personnel should only be involved when there is an imminent risk of violence, and not as a routine measure.
Choice D is wrong because agreeing that the hallucinations are real if the client exhibits aggressive behavior toward other clients is reinforcing the delusional belief and rewarding the aggression. This can also confuse the client and undermine the therapeutic relationship.
The nurse should acknowledge the client’s experience of hallucinations, but not endorse them as reality. The nurse should also set clear limits on aggressive behavior and use de-escalation techniques to calm the client.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
This statement indicates an understanding of the teaching because babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at risk for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) after birth due to high insulin levels.
Choice B is wrong because a client who has GDM should check their blood glucose more frequently than once every 8 hours. The American Diabetes Association recommends checking blood glucose levels before meals and one hour after the start of each meal.
Choice C is wrong because a baby born to a mother with GDM is at risk for being overweight (macrosomia) at birth, not underweight. This can lead to complications such as shoulder dystocia, birth trauma, and cesarean delivery.
Choice D is wrong because a client who has GDM should ensure that about 15 to 20 percent of their daily calories come from protein sources, not 5 percent. Protein helps regulate blood glucose levels and supports fetal growth.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Dysrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that can be a sign of severe lithium toxicity.
Lithium toxicity can occur when a person takes too much lithium, a mood- stabilizing medication used to treat bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
Choice A is wrong because hypoglycemia is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar that can cause symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, hunger, and confusion.
Choice B is wrong because excess salivation is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Excess salivation can be caused by various factors, such as infections, medications, or nerve damage.
Choice C is wrong because urinary retention is not a symptom of lithium toxicity. Urinary retention is the inability to empty the bladder completely, which can cause pain, discomfort, and infection. Lithium toxicity can actually cause increased urine output, not decreased.
Normal ranges for blood lithium levels are 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L for maintenance therapy and 0.8 to 1.5 mEq/L for acute therapy. Levels above 1.5 mEq/L can cause mild to moderate toxicity, and levels above 2.0 mEq/L can cause severe toxicity. Levels above 3.0 mEq/L are considered a medical emergency.
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