NUR 4290 EVALUATION EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔A patient has disorganized thinking associated with schizophrenia. Neuroimaging
would likely
show dysfunction in which part of the brain?
a. Hippocampus
b. Frontal lobe 30
c. Cerebellum
d. Brainstem - ✔✔b. Frontal lobe
✔✔The nurse should assess a patient taking a drug with anticholinergic properties for
inhibited
function of the
a. parasympathetic nervous system.
b. sympathetic nervous system.
c. reticular activating system.
d. medulla oblongata. - ✔✔a. parasympathetic nervous system.
✔✔The therapeutic action of neurotransmitter inhibitors that block reuptake cause
a. decreased concentration of the blocked neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system.
b. increased concentration of the blocked neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap.
c. destruction of receptor sites specific to the blocked neurotransmitter.
d. limbic system stimulation. - ✔✔b. increased concentration of the blocked
neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap.
✔✔A patient taking medication for mental illness develops restlessness and an
uncontrollable need
to be in motion. Which drug action causes these symptoms to develop?
a. Anticholinergic effects
b. Dopamine-blocking effects
c. Endocrine-stimulating effects
d. Ability to stimulate spinal nerves - ✔✔b. Dopamine-blocking effects
✔✔A fearful patient has an increased heart rate and blood pressure. The nurse
suspects increased
activity of which neurotransmitter?
a. GABA
b. Norepinephrine
c. Acetylcholine
d. Histamine - ✔✔b. Norepinephrine
✔✔A patient has acute anxiety related to an automobile accident 2 hours ago. The
nurse should
,teach the patient about medication from which group?
a. Tricyclic antidepressants
b. Antipsychotic drugs
c. Mood stabilizers
d. Benzodiazepines - ✔✔d. Benzodiazepines
✔✔A patient is hospitalized for severe major depressive disorder. Of the medications
listed below,
the nurse can expect to provide the patient with teaching about
a. chlordiazepoxide.
b. clozapine.
c. sertraline.
d. tacrine. - ✔✔c. sertraline.
✔✔A patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder displays aggressiveness, agitation,
talkativeness, and
irritability. The nurse expects the health care provider to prescribe a medication from
which
group?
a. Psychostimulants
b. Mood stabilizers
c. Anticholinergics
d. Antidepressants - ✔✔b. Mood stabilizers
✔✔A drug causes muscarinic receptor blockade. The nurse will assess the patient for
a. dry mouth.
b. gynecomastia.
c. pseudoparkinsonism.
d. orthostatic hypotension. - ✔✔b. gynecomastia.
✔✔A patient begins therapy with a phenothiazine medication. What teaching should the
nurse
provide related to the drug's strong dopaminergic effect?
a. Chew sugarless gum.
b. Increase dietary fiber.
c. Arise slowly from bed.
d. Report changes in muscle movement. - ✔✔d. Report changes in muscle movement.
✔✔A patient tells the nurse, "My doctor prescribed paroxetine for my depression. I
assume I'll
have side effects like I had when I was taking imipramine." The nurse's reply should be
based
on the knowledge that paroxetine is a(n)
a. selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
b. tricyclic antidepressant.
,c. monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor.
d. SSRI. - ✔✔d. SSRI.
✔✔A nurse can anticipate anticholinergic side effects are likely when a patient takes
a. lithium.
b. buspirone.
c. imipramine.
d. risperidone. - ✔✔c. imipramine.
✔✔Which instruction has priority when teaching a patient about clozapine?
a. "Avoid unprotected sex."
b. "Report sore throat and fever immediately."
c. "Reduce foods high in polyunsaturated fats."
d. "Use over-the-counter preparations for rashes. - ✔✔b. "Report sore throat and fever
immediately."
✔✔A nurse cares for a group of patients receiving various medications, including
haloperidol,
carbamazepine, trazodone, and phenalgine. The nurse will order a special diet for the
patient
who takes
a. carbamazepine.
b. haloperidol.
c. phenelzine.
d. trazodone. - ✔✔c. phenelzine.
✔✔A nurse instructs a patient taking a drug that inhibits MAO to avoid certain foods and
drugs
because of the risk of
a. cardiac dysrhythmia.
b. hypotensive shock.
c. hypertensive crisis.
d. hypoglycemia. - ✔✔c. hypertensive crisis.
✔✔A nurse caring for a patient taking a SSRI will develop outcome criteria related to
a. coherent thought processes.
b. improvement in depression.
c. reduced levels of motor activity.
d. decreased extrapyramidal symptoms. - ✔✔b. improvement in depression.
✔✔By which mechanism do SSRI medications improve depression?
a. Destroying increased amounts of serotonin
b. Making more serotonin available at the synaptic gap
c. Increasing production of acetylcholine and dopamine
, d. Blocking muscarinic and á1 norepinephrine receptors - ✔✔b. Making more serotonin
available at the synaptic gap
✔✔The laboratory report for a patient taking clozapine (Clozaril) shows a white blood
cell count of
3000 mm3
. Select the nurse's best action.
a. Report the results to the health care provider immediately.
b. Administer the next dose as prescribed.
c. Give aspirin and force fluids.
d. Repeat the laboratory test. - ✔✔a. Report the results to the health care provider
immediately.
✔✔A drug blocks the attachment of norepinephrine to α1 receptors. The patient may
experience
a. hypertensive crisis.
b. orthostatic hypotension.
c. severe appetite disturbance.
d. an increase in psychotic symptoms. - ✔✔b. orthostatic hypotension.
✔✔A nurse cares for four patients who are receiving clozapine, lithium, fluoxetine, and
venlafaxine, respectively. With which patient should the nurse be most alert for
problems associated with fluid and electrolyte imbalance? The patient receiving
a. lithium.
b. clozapine.
c. fluoxetine.
d. venlafaxine. - ✔✔a. lithium.
✔✔An obese patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Medications that block which
receptors
would contribute to further weight gain?
a. H1
b. 5 HT2
c. Acetylcholine
d. GABA - ✔✔a. H1
✔✔An individual hiking in the forest encounters a large poisonous snake on the path.
Which
change in this individual's vital signs is most likely?
a. Pulse rate changes from 90 to 72.
b. Respiratory rate changes from 22 to 18.
c. Complaints of intestinal cramping begin.
d. Blood pressure changes from 114/62 to 136/78. - ✔✔d. Blood pressure changes from
114/62 to 136/78.
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔A patient has disorganized thinking associated with schizophrenia. Neuroimaging
would likely
show dysfunction in which part of the brain?
a. Hippocampus
b. Frontal lobe 30
c. Cerebellum
d. Brainstem - ✔✔b. Frontal lobe
✔✔The nurse should assess a patient taking a drug with anticholinergic properties for
inhibited
function of the
a. parasympathetic nervous system.
b. sympathetic nervous system.
c. reticular activating system.
d. medulla oblongata. - ✔✔a. parasympathetic nervous system.
✔✔The therapeutic action of neurotransmitter inhibitors that block reuptake cause
a. decreased concentration of the blocked neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system.
b. increased concentration of the blocked neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap.
c. destruction of receptor sites specific to the blocked neurotransmitter.
d. limbic system stimulation. - ✔✔b. increased concentration of the blocked
neurotransmitter in the synaptic gap.
✔✔A patient taking medication for mental illness develops restlessness and an
uncontrollable need
to be in motion. Which drug action causes these symptoms to develop?
a. Anticholinergic effects
b. Dopamine-blocking effects
c. Endocrine-stimulating effects
d. Ability to stimulate spinal nerves - ✔✔b. Dopamine-blocking effects
✔✔A fearful patient has an increased heart rate and blood pressure. The nurse
suspects increased
activity of which neurotransmitter?
a. GABA
b. Norepinephrine
c. Acetylcholine
d. Histamine - ✔✔b. Norepinephrine
✔✔A patient has acute anxiety related to an automobile accident 2 hours ago. The
nurse should
,teach the patient about medication from which group?
a. Tricyclic antidepressants
b. Antipsychotic drugs
c. Mood stabilizers
d. Benzodiazepines - ✔✔d. Benzodiazepines
✔✔A patient is hospitalized for severe major depressive disorder. Of the medications
listed below,
the nurse can expect to provide the patient with teaching about
a. chlordiazepoxide.
b. clozapine.
c. sertraline.
d. tacrine. - ✔✔c. sertraline.
✔✔A patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder displays aggressiveness, agitation,
talkativeness, and
irritability. The nurse expects the health care provider to prescribe a medication from
which
group?
a. Psychostimulants
b. Mood stabilizers
c. Anticholinergics
d. Antidepressants - ✔✔b. Mood stabilizers
✔✔A drug causes muscarinic receptor blockade. The nurse will assess the patient for
a. dry mouth.
b. gynecomastia.
c. pseudoparkinsonism.
d. orthostatic hypotension. - ✔✔b. gynecomastia.
✔✔A patient begins therapy with a phenothiazine medication. What teaching should the
nurse
provide related to the drug's strong dopaminergic effect?
a. Chew sugarless gum.
b. Increase dietary fiber.
c. Arise slowly from bed.
d. Report changes in muscle movement. - ✔✔d. Report changes in muscle movement.
✔✔A patient tells the nurse, "My doctor prescribed paroxetine for my depression. I
assume I'll
have side effects like I had when I was taking imipramine." The nurse's reply should be
based
on the knowledge that paroxetine is a(n)
a. selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
b. tricyclic antidepressant.
,c. monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor.
d. SSRI. - ✔✔d. SSRI.
✔✔A nurse can anticipate anticholinergic side effects are likely when a patient takes
a. lithium.
b. buspirone.
c. imipramine.
d. risperidone. - ✔✔c. imipramine.
✔✔Which instruction has priority when teaching a patient about clozapine?
a. "Avoid unprotected sex."
b. "Report sore throat and fever immediately."
c. "Reduce foods high in polyunsaturated fats."
d. "Use over-the-counter preparations for rashes. - ✔✔b. "Report sore throat and fever
immediately."
✔✔A nurse cares for a group of patients receiving various medications, including
haloperidol,
carbamazepine, trazodone, and phenalgine. The nurse will order a special diet for the
patient
who takes
a. carbamazepine.
b. haloperidol.
c. phenelzine.
d. trazodone. - ✔✔c. phenelzine.
✔✔A nurse instructs a patient taking a drug that inhibits MAO to avoid certain foods and
drugs
because of the risk of
a. cardiac dysrhythmia.
b. hypotensive shock.
c. hypertensive crisis.
d. hypoglycemia. - ✔✔c. hypertensive crisis.
✔✔A nurse caring for a patient taking a SSRI will develop outcome criteria related to
a. coherent thought processes.
b. improvement in depression.
c. reduced levels of motor activity.
d. decreased extrapyramidal symptoms. - ✔✔b. improvement in depression.
✔✔By which mechanism do SSRI medications improve depression?
a. Destroying increased amounts of serotonin
b. Making more serotonin available at the synaptic gap
c. Increasing production of acetylcholine and dopamine
, d. Blocking muscarinic and á1 norepinephrine receptors - ✔✔b. Making more serotonin
available at the synaptic gap
✔✔The laboratory report for a patient taking clozapine (Clozaril) shows a white blood
cell count of
3000 mm3
. Select the nurse's best action.
a. Report the results to the health care provider immediately.
b. Administer the next dose as prescribed.
c. Give aspirin and force fluids.
d. Repeat the laboratory test. - ✔✔a. Report the results to the health care provider
immediately.
✔✔A drug blocks the attachment of norepinephrine to α1 receptors. The patient may
experience
a. hypertensive crisis.
b. orthostatic hypotension.
c. severe appetite disturbance.
d. an increase in psychotic symptoms. - ✔✔b. orthostatic hypotension.
✔✔A nurse cares for four patients who are receiving clozapine, lithium, fluoxetine, and
venlafaxine, respectively. With which patient should the nurse be most alert for
problems associated with fluid and electrolyte imbalance? The patient receiving
a. lithium.
b. clozapine.
c. fluoxetine.
d. venlafaxine. - ✔✔a. lithium.
✔✔An obese patient has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Medications that block which
receptors
would contribute to further weight gain?
a. H1
b. 5 HT2
c. Acetylcholine
d. GABA - ✔✔a. H1
✔✔An individual hiking in the forest encounters a large poisonous snake on the path.
Which
change in this individual's vital signs is most likely?
a. Pulse rate changes from 90 to 72.
b. Respiratory rate changes from 22 to 18.
c. Complaints of intestinal cramping begin.
d. Blood pressure changes from 114/62 to 136/78. - ✔✔d. Blood pressure changes from
114/62 to 136/78.
