NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM NEWEST QUESTIONS
FORMART NEWEST 2025/2026 WITH 500+ QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
The nurse is providing patient education on quetiapine (Seroquel). The nurse
correctly tells the patient that she should be closely monitored for the
development of what health condition secondary to the use of quetiapine?
a. Breast cancer
b. Cataracts
c. Hypertension
d. Multiple sclerosis - ANSWER-ANS: B
Quetiapine may pose a risk for the development of cataracts. The patient's eyes
should be examined prior to the initiation of treatment and at least every 6
months during treatment.
Quetiapine is not associated with the development of breast cancer.
Quetiapine is not associated with hypertension; to the contrary, it causes
orthostatic hypotension.
Quetiapine is not associated with the development of multiple sclerosis.
An adult patient suddenly cries out. A nurse sees the patient's head twisted to the
side, arched back, and the eyes rolled up. The patient has been newly diagnosed
with schizophrenia, and therapy with a traditional antipsychotic medication was
started yesterday. Based on the nurse's assessment, what would be the next
nursing action?
a. Obtain the patient's vital signs and pulse oximetry.
1|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
b. Administer a PRN dose of diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
c. Administer a PRN dose of haloperidol (Haldol).
d. Obtain a serum drug level and reassure the patient. - ANSWER-ANS: B
The patient is displaying symptoms of intense dystonia, a crisis that can occur
after administration of an antipsychotic medication. The crisis should be managed
with a dose of diphenhydramine.
Vital signs may be obtained after the initial management of the physiological
crisis.
Haloperidol is not indicated for the treatment of acute dystonia; in fact, it is an
adverse effect of haloperidol.
Obtaining a serum drug level is not an immediate concern.
A nurse assesses a patient receiving perphenazine (Trilafon), a traditional
antipsychotic medication. The nurse notices that the patient is squirming and
pacing. When composing his nurse's notes, the nurse would describe his
assessment findings by which terminology?
a. Dystonia
b. Central nervous system effects
c. Parkinsonism
d. Akathisia - ANSWER-ANS: D
Akathisia is characterized by pacing and squirming brought on by an
uncontrollable need to be in motion.
Dystonia is manifested by severe spasms of the muscles of the face, neck, tongue,
or back.
"Central nervous system effects" is a very vague description, because many types
of effects can occur; therefore, this would not be appropriate in the nurse's notes.
2|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
Parkinsonism is characterized by bradykinesia, a masklike face, drooling, tremor,
and rigidity.
Clozapine (Clozaril) is prescribed for a patient with a schizophreniform disorder.
Which information would be the most important to include in the teaching plan
for this patient?
a. Strategies to manage breast enlargement and nipple discharge
b. The importance of promptly reporting flulike symptoms
c. Contraceptive measures and expected changes in menstruation
d. Proper technique for measuring blood pressure - ANSWER-ANS: B
Patients taking clozapine should be informed about the risk of agranulocytosis and
must have a weekly blood test. They should be instructed to inform their primary
health care provider immediately about any early signs of infection (e.g., fever,
sore throat, fatigue, mucous membrane ulceration).
Breast enlargement and nipple discharge are not adverse effects of clozapine.
Changes in menstruation are important to include in patient education, but this is
not the most important information.
Changes in blood pressure are not adverse effects of clozapine.
A nurse assesses a patient who is actively hallucinating and delusional. Which
term would most accurately describe these findings?
a. Positive symptoms
b. Negative symptoms
c. Affective flattening
d. Attention impairment - ANSWER-ANS: A
3|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
Positive symptoms can be viewed as an exaggeration or distortion of normal
psychological function. Positive symptoms include hallucination, delusions,
agitation, tension, and paranoia.
Negative symptoms can be viewed as a loss or diminution of normal function.
Negative symptoms include a lack of motivation, poverty of speech, blunted
affect, poor self-care, and social withdrawal.
Affective flattening is not descriptive of hallucinations or delusion.
Hallucinations and delusions are not described by attention impairment.
A patient taking fluoxetine (Prozac) complains of decreased sexual interest. A
prescriber orders a "drug holiday." What teaching by the nurse would best
describe a "drug holiday"?
a. Don't take the medication on Friday and Saturday.
b. Cut the tablet in half anytime to reduce the dosage.
c. Take the drug every other day.
d. Discontinue the drug for 1 week. - ANSWER-ANS: A
Sexual dysfunction may be managed by having the patient take a "drug holiday"
which involves discontinuing medication on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cutting the tablet in half any time to reduce the dosage is an inappropriate way to
effectively manage drug administration. In addition, it does not describe a "drug
holiday."
The patient should not take the drug every other day, nor should it be
discontinued for a week at a time as this will diminish the therapeutic levels of the
drug, thereby minimizing the therapeutic effects. In addition, neither option
describes a "drug holiday."
4|Page
NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM NEWEST QUESTIONS
FORMART NEWEST 2025/2026 WITH 500+ QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
The nurse is providing patient education on quetiapine (Seroquel). The nurse
correctly tells the patient that she should be closely monitored for the
development of what health condition secondary to the use of quetiapine?
a. Breast cancer
b. Cataracts
c. Hypertension
d. Multiple sclerosis - ANSWER-ANS: B
Quetiapine may pose a risk for the development of cataracts. The patient's eyes
should be examined prior to the initiation of treatment and at least every 6
months during treatment.
Quetiapine is not associated with the development of breast cancer.
Quetiapine is not associated with hypertension; to the contrary, it causes
orthostatic hypotension.
Quetiapine is not associated with the development of multiple sclerosis.
An adult patient suddenly cries out. A nurse sees the patient's head twisted to the
side, arched back, and the eyes rolled up. The patient has been newly diagnosed
with schizophrenia, and therapy with a traditional antipsychotic medication was
started yesterday. Based on the nurse's assessment, what would be the next
nursing action?
a. Obtain the patient's vital signs and pulse oximetry.
1|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
b. Administer a PRN dose of diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
c. Administer a PRN dose of haloperidol (Haldol).
d. Obtain a serum drug level and reassure the patient. - ANSWER-ANS: B
The patient is displaying symptoms of intense dystonia, a crisis that can occur
after administration of an antipsychotic medication. The crisis should be managed
with a dose of diphenhydramine.
Vital signs may be obtained after the initial management of the physiological
crisis.
Haloperidol is not indicated for the treatment of acute dystonia; in fact, it is an
adverse effect of haloperidol.
Obtaining a serum drug level is not an immediate concern.
A nurse assesses a patient receiving perphenazine (Trilafon), a traditional
antipsychotic medication. The nurse notices that the patient is squirming and
pacing. When composing his nurse's notes, the nurse would describe his
assessment findings by which terminology?
a. Dystonia
b. Central nervous system effects
c. Parkinsonism
d. Akathisia - ANSWER-ANS: D
Akathisia is characterized by pacing and squirming brought on by an
uncontrollable need to be in motion.
Dystonia is manifested by severe spasms of the muscles of the face, neck, tongue,
or back.
"Central nervous system effects" is a very vague description, because many types
of effects can occur; therefore, this would not be appropriate in the nurse's notes.
2|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
Parkinsonism is characterized by bradykinesia, a masklike face, drooling, tremor,
and rigidity.
Clozapine (Clozaril) is prescribed for a patient with a schizophreniform disorder.
Which information would be the most important to include in the teaching plan
for this patient?
a. Strategies to manage breast enlargement and nipple discharge
b. The importance of promptly reporting flulike symptoms
c. Contraceptive measures and expected changes in menstruation
d. Proper technique for measuring blood pressure - ANSWER-ANS: B
Patients taking clozapine should be informed about the risk of agranulocytosis and
must have a weekly blood test. They should be instructed to inform their primary
health care provider immediately about any early signs of infection (e.g., fever,
sore throat, fatigue, mucous membrane ulceration).
Breast enlargement and nipple discharge are not adverse effects of clozapine.
Changes in menstruation are important to include in patient education, but this is
not the most important information.
Changes in blood pressure are not adverse effects of clozapine.
A nurse assesses a patient who is actively hallucinating and delusional. Which
term would most accurately describe these findings?
a. Positive symptoms
b. Negative symptoms
c. Affective flattening
d. Attention impairment - ANSWER-ANS: A
3|Page
, NSG 522 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY EXAM
Positive symptoms can be viewed as an exaggeration or distortion of normal
psychological function. Positive symptoms include hallucination, delusions,
agitation, tension, and paranoia.
Negative symptoms can be viewed as a loss or diminution of normal function.
Negative symptoms include a lack of motivation, poverty of speech, blunted
affect, poor self-care, and social withdrawal.
Affective flattening is not descriptive of hallucinations or delusion.
Hallucinations and delusions are not described by attention impairment.
A patient taking fluoxetine (Prozac) complains of decreased sexual interest. A
prescriber orders a "drug holiday." What teaching by the nurse would best
describe a "drug holiday"?
a. Don't take the medication on Friday and Saturday.
b. Cut the tablet in half anytime to reduce the dosage.
c. Take the drug every other day.
d. Discontinue the drug for 1 week. - ANSWER-ANS: A
Sexual dysfunction may be managed by having the patient take a "drug holiday"
which involves discontinuing medication on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cutting the tablet in half any time to reduce the dosage is an inappropriate way to
effectively manage drug administration. In addition, it does not describe a "drug
holiday."
The patient should not take the drug every other day, nor should it be
discontinued for a week at a time as this will diminish the therapeutic levels of the
drug, thereby minimizing the therapeutic effects. In addition, neither option
describes a "drug holiday."
4|Page
