A nurse is educating a client who has been prescribed phenelzine, an MAOI, for treatment-resistant depression. Which of the following instructions is most critical to prevent potentially life-threatening complications associated with this medication?
Avoid foods high in tyramine, such as aged cheeses, smoked meats, and fermented products.
Use over-the-counter cold medications containing pseudoephedrine cautiously.
Take the medication with food to minimize gastrointestinal upset.
Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until the effects are known.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: The most critical teaching with MAOIs is to avoid foods containing tyramine. Eating these foods can trigger a hypertensive crisis, a potentially fatal complication.
Choice B reason: Cold medications with pseudoephedrine may also increase blood pressure and should be avoided, but dietary restrictions are more essential because food exposure is more common and life-threatening if overlooked.
Choice C reason: Taking the medication with food may reduce mild gastrointestinal side effects, but this is not the priority safety teaching.
Choice D reason: Avoiding hazardous activities until medication effects are known is general advice for many psychotropic drugs, but it is not specific or lifesaving for MAOI therapy.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: While silence may sometimes convey understanding, its primary therapeutic purpose in communication is to allow the patient time to think or reflect, not simply to indicate understanding.
Choice B reason: Prolonged silence may cause withdrawal in some patients, but this is not the guiding principle in therapeutic communication. The focus should be on the value of reflection.
Choice C reason: Silence provides the patient with opportunities for reflection and processing of thoughts and emotions. It encourages deeper expression and supports therapeutic dialogue.
Choice D reason: The nurse is not always responsible for breaking silence. Sometimes allowing the patient to break the silence themselves is more therapeutic and empowering.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: NANDA-I provides standardized nursing diagnoses but does not list or categorize symptoms for specific psychiatric disorders.
Choice B reason: The Nursing Outcomes Classification focuses on measurable patient outcomes after interventions, not on identifying symptoms of mental disorders.
Choice C reason: The Nursing Interventions Classification outlines evidence-based nursing actions and strategies, but it does not define or organize psychiatric symptoms.
Choice D reason: The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) is the authoritative resource for identifying and categorizing symptoms of mental disorders. It provides diagnostic criteria and symptom patterns for each psychiatric condition, making it the correct choice.
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