TEST BANK Chapter 23: Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior Varcarolis: Esse
tials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach
Evidence-Based Care
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_dhlgam
Which change in brain biochemical func-
tion is most associated with suicidal be-
havior?
a. Dopamine excess b. Serotonin deficiency
b. Serotonin deficiency
c. Acetylcholine excess
d. Gamma-aminobutyric acid deficiency
A nurse uses the modified SAD PER-
SONS scale to interview a patient. This
tool provides data relevant to assessing
what?
c. Suicide potential
a. Current stress level
b. Mood disturbance
c. Suicide potential
d. Level of anxiety
A person attempts suicide by overdose,
is treated in the emergency department,
and then
hospitalized. What is the best initial pa-
tient outcome?
a. Will verbalize a will to live by the end
of the second hospital day. d. Exercise suicide self-restraint by re-
b. Can describe two new coping mecha- fraining from gestures or attempts to
nisms by the end of the third hospital day. harm self
c. Accurately delineate personal for 24 hours.
strengths by the end of first week of hos-
pitalization.
d. Exercise suicide self-restraint by re-
fraining from gestures or attempts to
harm self
for 24 hours.
An adolescent tells the school nurse, "My
friend threatened to take an overdose of
pills." The nurse talks to the friend who
verbalized the suicide threat. What is the
1/8
, TEST BANK Chapter 23: Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior Varcarolis: Esse
tials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach
Evidence-Based Care
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_dhlgam
most critical question
for the nurse to ask?
a. "What makes you want to kill your-
self?"
b. "Do you have access to medications?" b. "Do you have access to medications?"
c. "Have you been taking drugs and alco-
hol?"
d. "Did something happen with your par-
ents?"
An adult after an attempted suicide is
hospitalized and takes an antidepres-
sant medication for
5 days. The patient is now more talkative
and shows increased energy. Select the
highest
priority nursing intervention.
a. Supervise the patient 24 hours a day.
a. Supervise the patient 24 hours a day.
b. Begin discharge planning for the pa-
tient.
c. Refer the patient to art and music ther-
apists.
d. Consider the discontinuation of sui-
cide precautions.
A tearful, anxious patient at the outpa-
tient clinic reports, "I should be dead."
The initial task
of the nurse conducting the assessment
interview is to focus on what?
c. Establishing a rapport with the patient
a. Assessing the lethality of any suicide
plan
b. Encouraging expression of anger
c. Establishing a rapport with the patient
d. Determining risk factors for suicide
What is the most helpful response for
a nurse to make when a patient being
treated as an outpatient states, "I am
2/8
tials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach
Evidence-Based Care
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_dhlgam
Which change in brain biochemical func-
tion is most associated with suicidal be-
havior?
a. Dopamine excess b. Serotonin deficiency
b. Serotonin deficiency
c. Acetylcholine excess
d. Gamma-aminobutyric acid deficiency
A nurse uses the modified SAD PER-
SONS scale to interview a patient. This
tool provides data relevant to assessing
what?
c. Suicide potential
a. Current stress level
b. Mood disturbance
c. Suicide potential
d. Level of anxiety
A person attempts suicide by overdose,
is treated in the emergency department,
and then
hospitalized. What is the best initial pa-
tient outcome?
a. Will verbalize a will to live by the end
of the second hospital day. d. Exercise suicide self-restraint by re-
b. Can describe two new coping mecha- fraining from gestures or attempts to
nisms by the end of the third hospital day. harm self
c. Accurately delineate personal for 24 hours.
strengths by the end of first week of hos-
pitalization.
d. Exercise suicide self-restraint by re-
fraining from gestures or attempts to
harm self
for 24 hours.
An adolescent tells the school nurse, "My
friend threatened to take an overdose of
pills." The nurse talks to the friend who
verbalized the suicide threat. What is the
1/8
, TEST BANK Chapter 23: Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior Varcarolis: Esse
tials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Communication Approach
Evidence-Based Care
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_dhlgam
most critical question
for the nurse to ask?
a. "What makes you want to kill your-
self?"
b. "Do you have access to medications?" b. "Do you have access to medications?"
c. "Have you been taking drugs and alco-
hol?"
d. "Did something happen with your par-
ents?"
An adult after an attempted suicide is
hospitalized and takes an antidepres-
sant medication for
5 days. The patient is now more talkative
and shows increased energy. Select the
highest
priority nursing intervention.
a. Supervise the patient 24 hours a day.
a. Supervise the patient 24 hours a day.
b. Begin discharge planning for the pa-
tient.
c. Refer the patient to art and music ther-
apists.
d. Consider the discontinuation of sui-
cide precautions.
A tearful, anxious patient at the outpa-
tient clinic reports, "I should be dead."
The initial task
of the nurse conducting the assessment
interview is to focus on what?
c. Establishing a rapport with the patient
a. Assessing the lethality of any suicide
plan
b. Encouraging expression of anger
c. Establishing a rapport with the patient
d. Determining risk factors for suicide
What is the most helpful response for
a nurse to make when a patient being
treated as an outpatient states, "I am
2/8
