NURS 222 | Mental Health/Psychiatric Nursing: Week 8 Quiz 2026
|WCU
1. A client diagnosed with schizophrenia is prescribed Clozapine. Which
laboratory value requires the nurse to immediately withhold the medication
and notify the healthcare provider?
A. Platelet count of 150,000/mm3
B. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 15 mg/dL
C. Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) of 900/mm3
D. Serum glucose of 110 mg/dL
Answer: C
Rationale: Clozapine carries a risk for agranulocytosis. An ANC below 1,000/mm3 is a
critical value requiring immediate cessation of the drug and clinical monitoring.
2. A client receiving Lithium Carbonate for Bipolar I Disorder reports persistent
thirst, blurred vision, and a coarse hand tremor. What is the nurse’s priority
action?
A. Hold the dose and request a serum lithium level immediately
B. Inform the client that these are expected side effects
C. Administer the next scheduled dose and encourage fluid intake
D. Instruct the client to increase sodium intake to balance electrolytes
Answer: A
Rationale: Blurred vision and coarse tremors are signs of advanced lithium toxicity. The
dose should be held, and levels must be checked; toxic levels typically exceed 1.5 mEq/L.
,3. When assessing a client with Major Depressive Disorder for suicide risk, which
statement by the client is most concerning to the nurse?
A. I do not think I will ever feel better.
B. I have been feeling a lot more energetic lately.
C. I wish I could just sleep for a very long time.
D. I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused my family.
Answer: B
Rationale: A sudden increase in energy or ‘lifting’ of mood in a severely depressed client
often indicates the client has finalized a suicide plan and has the energy to carry it out.
4. A client is admitted with Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) after
starting Haloperidol. Which clinical finding should the nurse anticipate?
A. Hyperpyrexia and lead-pipe muscle rigidity
B. Hypothermia and muscle flaccidity
C. Hypotension and bradycardia
D. Hyperactivity and pressured speech
Answer: A
Rationale: NMS is a medical emergency characterized by severe muscle rigidity, high fever
(hyperpyrexia), autonomic instability, and altered mental status.
5. A nurse is caring for a client with Borderline Personality Disorder who is
‘splitting’ staff members. Which nursing intervention is most effective?
A. Allowing the client to choose which nurse provides care
B. Holding frequent staff meetings to maintain consistent limits
C. Explaining to the client why their behavior is manipulative
D. Avoiding the client to prevent further conflict
Answer: B
Rationale: Consistent limit-setting and staff communication are vital to prevent the client
from playing one staff member against another, which is a hallmark of splitting.
, 6. The nurse is educating a client who is starting Phenelzine (an MAOI). Which
food item must the client be instructed to avoid?
A. Fresh green leafy vegetables
B. Cooked poultry and white rice
C. Whole grain bread and cereal
D. Smoked salmon and aged cheddar cheese
Answer: D
Rationale: MAOIs interact with tyramine-rich foods (aged cheeses, smoked meats,
fermented products), potentially causing a life-threatening hypertensive crisis.
7. A client with an Alcohol Use Disorder is experiencing tremors, hallucinations,
and a heart rate of 120 bpm 48 hours after their last drink. Which medication is
the gold standard for management?
A. Disulfiram
B. Lorazepam
C. Methadone
D. Haloperidol
Answer: B
Rationale: Benzodiazepines like Lorazepam or Diazepam are the first-line treatment for
alcohol withdrawal to prevent seizures and delirium tremens.
8. Which legal principle applies when a nurse discloses a client’s specific threat
to harm a named individual to the authorities and the intended victim?
A. Beneficence
B. Right to Least Restrictive Environment
C. Fidelity
D. Duty to Warn (Tarasoff Rule)
Answer: D
|WCU
1. A client diagnosed with schizophrenia is prescribed Clozapine. Which
laboratory value requires the nurse to immediately withhold the medication
and notify the healthcare provider?
A. Platelet count of 150,000/mm3
B. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 15 mg/dL
C. Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) of 900/mm3
D. Serum glucose of 110 mg/dL
Answer: C
Rationale: Clozapine carries a risk for agranulocytosis. An ANC below 1,000/mm3 is a
critical value requiring immediate cessation of the drug and clinical monitoring.
2. A client receiving Lithium Carbonate for Bipolar I Disorder reports persistent
thirst, blurred vision, and a coarse hand tremor. What is the nurse’s priority
action?
A. Hold the dose and request a serum lithium level immediately
B. Inform the client that these are expected side effects
C. Administer the next scheduled dose and encourage fluid intake
D. Instruct the client to increase sodium intake to balance electrolytes
Answer: A
Rationale: Blurred vision and coarse tremors are signs of advanced lithium toxicity. The
dose should be held, and levels must be checked; toxic levels typically exceed 1.5 mEq/L.
,3. When assessing a client with Major Depressive Disorder for suicide risk, which
statement by the client is most concerning to the nurse?
A. I do not think I will ever feel better.
B. I have been feeling a lot more energetic lately.
C. I wish I could just sleep for a very long time.
D. I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused my family.
Answer: B
Rationale: A sudden increase in energy or ‘lifting’ of mood in a severely depressed client
often indicates the client has finalized a suicide plan and has the energy to carry it out.
4. A client is admitted with Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) after
starting Haloperidol. Which clinical finding should the nurse anticipate?
A. Hyperpyrexia and lead-pipe muscle rigidity
B. Hypothermia and muscle flaccidity
C. Hypotension and bradycardia
D. Hyperactivity and pressured speech
Answer: A
Rationale: NMS is a medical emergency characterized by severe muscle rigidity, high fever
(hyperpyrexia), autonomic instability, and altered mental status.
5. A nurse is caring for a client with Borderline Personality Disorder who is
‘splitting’ staff members. Which nursing intervention is most effective?
A. Allowing the client to choose which nurse provides care
B. Holding frequent staff meetings to maintain consistent limits
C. Explaining to the client why their behavior is manipulative
D. Avoiding the client to prevent further conflict
Answer: B
Rationale: Consistent limit-setting and staff communication are vital to prevent the client
from playing one staff member against another, which is a hallmark of splitting.
, 6. The nurse is educating a client who is starting Phenelzine (an MAOI). Which
food item must the client be instructed to avoid?
A. Fresh green leafy vegetables
B. Cooked poultry and white rice
C. Whole grain bread and cereal
D. Smoked salmon and aged cheddar cheese
Answer: D
Rationale: MAOIs interact with tyramine-rich foods (aged cheeses, smoked meats,
fermented products), potentially causing a life-threatening hypertensive crisis.
7. A client with an Alcohol Use Disorder is experiencing tremors, hallucinations,
and a heart rate of 120 bpm 48 hours after their last drink. Which medication is
the gold standard for management?
A. Disulfiram
B. Lorazepam
C. Methadone
D. Haloperidol
Answer: B
Rationale: Benzodiazepines like Lorazepam or Diazepam are the first-line treatment for
alcohol withdrawal to prevent seizures and delirium tremens.
8. Which legal principle applies when a nurse discloses a client’s specific threat
to harm a named individual to the authorities and the intended victim?
A. Beneficence
B. Right to Least Restrictive Environment
C. Fidelity
D. Duty to Warn (Tarasoff Rule)
Answer: D
