A noncompliant patient states, “Why do you want me to put this poison in my body?”

Identify the best response made by the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner

(PMHNP).

Selected

Answer:

C.

“Most medications that work in the brain will result in restoring an imbalance of one

or more neurotransmitters that your body already produces helping to alleviate your

symptoms .”

Ms. Hill is currently being treated for schizophrenia but has stopped

taking her medications due to some side effects she claims she was

experiencing. She presents to the clinic today with worsening symptoms.

She is experiencing anhedonia, agitation, attentional impairment, and

affective blunting. Which one of the symptoms mentioned is considered a

positive symptom of schizophrenia?

Selected

Answer:

B.

Agitation

Which statement about neurotransmitters and medications is true?

Selected

Answer:

D.

An imbalance of serotonin has been directly linked to depression. Following the

discovery of this neurotransmitter, pharmacologists were able to develop a well-

known drug- Prozac as the first medication used to restore the balance of

serotonin.

When an unstable patient asks why it is necessary to add medications to his current

regimen, the PMHNP’s best response would be:

Selecte

d

Answer:

C.

“Many psychiatric illnesses involve several dys-functioning neurotransmitter

systemsin the brain. Often, a single medication may only effect one or two of the

dys-functioning systems. The addition of another medication can work with the

current medication in stabilizing multiple neurotransmitter systems and help