COMMON DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT IN
ACUTE CARE PRACTICUM CERTIFICATION
TEST 2026 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
◉ MAOI examples Answer: Nardil, Parnate (require special diet,
avoid cheese, chocolate, fish, caffeine)
◉ Screening tools for depression Answer: QIDS Clinician, QIDS
SelfReport, PHQ9
◉ PHQ-9 Answer: 9item selfreport for depression severity; useful
for identifying severe depression
◉ QIDS Clinician Report Answer: 16item depression scale: 0-5:
none, 6-10: mild, 11-15: moderate, 16-20: severe, 21+: very severe
◉ Non-psychiatric management of psychosis Answer: OK if
chronic/stable and psych consult unavailable; continue previous
treatment
◉ Benzodiazepine side effects Answer: Sedation; paradoxical
agitation; dependence; withdrawal
,◉ Benzodiazepine precautions Answer: Avoid with CNS
depressants; caution in liver disease, elderly, mentally ill, respiratory
disease
◉ Assessing substance-abuse and depression Answer:
Antidepressants can be dangerous with alcohol; assess for sedative
abuse; use labs and collateral
◉ Treatment for substance-abuse with depression Answer: Stop
intoxicant; treat only after sobriety; consider 4 weeks before starting
meds
◉ Postpartum depression (PPD) Answer: MDD with postpartum
onset within 1 month of childbirth; use Edinburgh scale
◉ Risk factors for PPD Answer: Depression history; PMS; stress;
poor support; low income; young age; immigration
◉ Medications for PPD Answer: Sertraline, paroxetine, nortriptyline,
imipramine
◉ Unsafe PPD meds Answer: Doxepin (sedation, respiratory
depression, contraindicated in breastfeeding)
, ◉ Central vs Obstructive Sleep Apnea Answer: Central = no effort to
breathe, no snoring; brain doesn't send signal
◉ Pheochromocytoma triad Answer: Palpitations; sweating;
headaches
◉ Pheochromocytoma complications Answer: Hypertensive crisis;
MI
◉ Pheochromocytoma definition Answer: Benign adrenal medulla
tumor producing excess catecholamines
◉ PTSD criteria (E-H) Answer: E. Symptoms of increased arousal,
including at least two of the following: sleep difficulties, irritability,
poor concentration, hypervigilance, reckless behavior, or
exaggerated startle response. F. Duration is more than one month. G.
The disturbance causes distress or impairment. H. The disturbance
is not attributable to the effects of substance or another medical
condition.
◉ Clinical presentation of MDD Answer: Sadness, indifference,
apathy, or irritability, usually associated with changes in sleep
patterns, appetite, and weight. Fatigue. Impaired concentration and
decision-making. They often feel fine and euphoric in the morning.
ACUTE CARE PRACTICUM CERTIFICATION
TEST 2026 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
◉ MAOI examples Answer: Nardil, Parnate (require special diet,
avoid cheese, chocolate, fish, caffeine)
◉ Screening tools for depression Answer: QIDS Clinician, QIDS
SelfReport, PHQ9
◉ PHQ-9 Answer: 9item selfreport for depression severity; useful
for identifying severe depression
◉ QIDS Clinician Report Answer: 16item depression scale: 0-5:
none, 6-10: mild, 11-15: moderate, 16-20: severe, 21+: very severe
◉ Non-psychiatric management of psychosis Answer: OK if
chronic/stable and psych consult unavailable; continue previous
treatment
◉ Benzodiazepine side effects Answer: Sedation; paradoxical
agitation; dependence; withdrawal
,◉ Benzodiazepine precautions Answer: Avoid with CNS
depressants; caution in liver disease, elderly, mentally ill, respiratory
disease
◉ Assessing substance-abuse and depression Answer:
Antidepressants can be dangerous with alcohol; assess for sedative
abuse; use labs and collateral
◉ Treatment for substance-abuse with depression Answer: Stop
intoxicant; treat only after sobriety; consider 4 weeks before starting
meds
◉ Postpartum depression (PPD) Answer: MDD with postpartum
onset within 1 month of childbirth; use Edinburgh scale
◉ Risk factors for PPD Answer: Depression history; PMS; stress;
poor support; low income; young age; immigration
◉ Medications for PPD Answer: Sertraline, paroxetine, nortriptyline,
imipramine
◉ Unsafe PPD meds Answer: Doxepin (sedation, respiratory
depression, contraindicated in breastfeeding)
, ◉ Central vs Obstructive Sleep Apnea Answer: Central = no effort to
breathe, no snoring; brain doesn't send signal
◉ Pheochromocytoma triad Answer: Palpitations; sweating;
headaches
◉ Pheochromocytoma complications Answer: Hypertensive crisis;
MI
◉ Pheochromocytoma definition Answer: Benign adrenal medulla
tumor producing excess catecholamines
◉ PTSD criteria (E-H) Answer: E. Symptoms of increased arousal,
including at least two of the following: sleep difficulties, irritability,
poor concentration, hypervigilance, reckless behavior, or
exaggerated startle response. F. Duration is more than one month. G.
The disturbance causes distress or impairment. H. The disturbance
is not attributable to the effects of substance or another medical
condition.
◉ Clinical presentation of MDD Answer: Sadness, indifference,
apathy, or irritability, usually associated with changes in sleep
patterns, appetite, and weight. Fatigue. Impaired concentration and
decision-making. They often feel fine and euphoric in the morning.
