MIDTERM EXAM NR 572 ADVANCED ACUTE
CARE MANAGEMENT GUIDE 2026
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MASTER FILE
◉ Symptoms of delirium. Answer: Short-term memory impairment;
Repeated questions; Hallucinations; Delusions
◉ Difference between delirium and dementia. Answer: Delirium:
acute with obvious change from baseline; Dementia: progressive
cognitive change and decline
◉ Before diagnosing a hospitalized patient with delirium, what
should be done first?. Answer: Begin with ruling out potential
underlying causes
◉ What are potential causes of delirium?. Answer: DELIRVM: D -
Drugs; E - External insults; L - Lesions from cancer; I - Infections; R -
Remote effects of cancer; V - Vascular causes; M - Metabolic causes
◉ CAM-ICU (Confusion Assessment Method for ICU). Answer: Tool
to assess delirium: acute onset mental status change, inattention,
disorganized thinking, altered level of consciousness; assess every
shift
,◉ CAM-ICU scale. Answer: See scale
◉ ICDSC (Intensive care delirium screening checklist). Answer: See
photo
◉ Treatment for preventing or shortening duration of delirium.
Answer: Avoid benzos unless previously used; Don't abruptly stop
benzos; Short-term antipsychotics if risk of harm
◉ Psychosis. Answer: A mental state with distorted sense of reality;
often secondary to endocrine, immunologic, or metabolic problems
◉ Symptoms of psychosis. Answer: Hallucinations; Delusions;
Thought disorders; Disorganized behavior
◉ Brief psychotic disorder. Answer: Acute psychosis, stress-related;
lasts < 1 month; full remission with return to function
◉ Schizophrenia. Answer: Delusions; Hallucinations; Disorganized
speech; Lasts > 6 months; Affects relationships and work; 60%
persistent symptoms
, ◉ Schizophreniform disorder. Answer: Schizophrenia-like
symptoms; Duration >1 month but <6 months
◉ Schizoaffective disorder. Answer: Symptoms of schizophrenia +
mood disorder (e.g., bipolar); Often misdiagnosed as major
depressive disorder
◉ Diagnosis requirements for schizoaffective disorder. Answer: ≥2
psychotic episodes lasting ≥2 weeks; One episode without mood
symptoms; Better prognosis than schizophrenia
◉ Delusion disorder. Answer: Prominent delusions without
hallucinations; False but plausible beliefs; Personality often intact;
Socially functional
◉ Diagnosing psychosis. Answer: Rule out organic causes; Full
history; Onset, duration, severity, substance use; Labs, EEG, imaging
◉ Treatment of psychosis (initial). Answer: Medical stabilization and
management; Transfer to psychiatric hospital/unit
◉ Insomnia. Answer: Poor sleep, quality secondary to inability to
initiate or stay asleep; caused by physical and environmental factors.
CARE MANAGEMENT GUIDE 2026
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MASTER FILE
◉ Symptoms of delirium. Answer: Short-term memory impairment;
Repeated questions; Hallucinations; Delusions
◉ Difference between delirium and dementia. Answer: Delirium:
acute with obvious change from baseline; Dementia: progressive
cognitive change and decline
◉ Before diagnosing a hospitalized patient with delirium, what
should be done first?. Answer: Begin with ruling out potential
underlying causes
◉ What are potential causes of delirium?. Answer: DELIRVM: D -
Drugs; E - External insults; L - Lesions from cancer; I - Infections; R -
Remote effects of cancer; V - Vascular causes; M - Metabolic causes
◉ CAM-ICU (Confusion Assessment Method for ICU). Answer: Tool
to assess delirium: acute onset mental status change, inattention,
disorganized thinking, altered level of consciousness; assess every
shift
,◉ CAM-ICU scale. Answer: See scale
◉ ICDSC (Intensive care delirium screening checklist). Answer: See
photo
◉ Treatment for preventing or shortening duration of delirium.
Answer: Avoid benzos unless previously used; Don't abruptly stop
benzos; Short-term antipsychotics if risk of harm
◉ Psychosis. Answer: A mental state with distorted sense of reality;
often secondary to endocrine, immunologic, or metabolic problems
◉ Symptoms of psychosis. Answer: Hallucinations; Delusions;
Thought disorders; Disorganized behavior
◉ Brief psychotic disorder. Answer: Acute psychosis, stress-related;
lasts < 1 month; full remission with return to function
◉ Schizophrenia. Answer: Delusions; Hallucinations; Disorganized
speech; Lasts > 6 months; Affects relationships and work; 60%
persistent symptoms
, ◉ Schizophreniform disorder. Answer: Schizophrenia-like
symptoms; Duration >1 month but <6 months
◉ Schizoaffective disorder. Answer: Symptoms of schizophrenia +
mood disorder (e.g., bipolar); Often misdiagnosed as major
depressive disorder
◉ Diagnosis requirements for schizoaffective disorder. Answer: ≥2
psychotic episodes lasting ≥2 weeks; One episode without mood
symptoms; Better prognosis than schizophrenia
◉ Delusion disorder. Answer: Prominent delusions without
hallucinations; False but plausible beliefs; Personality often intact;
Socially functional
◉ Diagnosing psychosis. Answer: Rule out organic causes; Full
history; Onset, duration, severity, substance use; Labs, EEG, imaging
◉ Treatment of psychosis (initial). Answer: Medical stabilization and
management; Transfer to psychiatric hospital/unit
◉ Insomnia. Answer: Poor sleep, quality secondary to inability to
initiate or stay asleep; caused by physical and environmental factors.
