A client who is manic threatens others on the unit. Which would be the initial nursing action in response to this behavior?
Set limits on aggressive and intimidating behaviors
Offer to hold a group about healthy coping skills
Administer the client’s PRN medications
Insist the client take a “time-out” in their room
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: Setting limits on aggressive behavior during mania ensures safety by addressing the immediate threat. Mania involves elevated mood and impulsivity, which can lead to harmful actions. Clear boundaries reduce escalation, protect others, and help de-escalate the client’s heightened state without immediate medication or isolation.
Choice B reason: Offering a group on coping skills is inappropriate during acute mania with threatening behavior, as the client’s impulsivity and agitation impair their ability to engage in group therapy. Safety and de-escalation are priorities before addressing long-term coping strategies.
Choice C reason: Administering PRN medications, such as antipsychotics or benzodiazepines, may help calm mania but is not the initial action. Setting limits addresses immediate safety concerns first, allowing for safer medication administration if needed, as medications take time to act.
Choice D reason: Insisting on a “time-out” may escalate agitation in a manic client, as isolation can increase feelings of persecution or agitation. This approach is less effective than setting clear, calm limits to de-escalate threatening behavior and ensure unit safety.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: A ventricular pacemaker stimulates the ventricles, producing a spike on the ECG before each QRS complex, indicating proper pacing and capture. This ensures the ventricles contract in response to the pacemaker’s electrical impulse, maintaining adequate cardiac output in clients with conduction issues.
Choice B reason: Pacemaker spikes after each P wave suggest atrial pacing, not ventricular pacing. Ventricular pacemakers target ventricular contraction, so spikes should precede the QRS complex, not follow the P wave, making this an incorrect indicator of proper ventricular pacemaker function.
Choice C reason: Pacemaker spikes with each T wave are not indicative of proper ventricular pacemaker function. T waves represent ventricular repolarization, and pacing at this phase is ineffective and potentially dangerous, as it does not initiate ventricular contraction, ruling out this option.
Choice D reason: Pacemaker spikes after each QRS complex indicate failure to pace appropriately, as ventricular depolarization has already occurred. Proper ventricular pacing requires spikes before the QRS to initiate contraction, making this an incorrect sign of a functioning ventricular pacemaker.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Benzodiazepines enhance GABA activity, leading to rapid anxiety relief but with a high risk of tolerance and dependence. Teaching about this risk is critical to ensure the client understands the need for medical supervision, potential withdrawal symptoms, and strategies to prevent misuse or long-term dependency.
Choice B reason: Taking benzodiazepines with food may reduce gastrointestinal upset, but the timing is not critical for efficacy. This instruction is less urgent than addressing dependence, as benzodiazepines are effective regardless of meal timing, and the primary concern is their addictive potential.
Choice C reason: Discontinuing benzodiazepines abruptly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, due to their effect on GABA receptors. This is dangerous advice, as gradual tapering under medical supervision is required, making this choice incorrect and less critical than teaching about dependence risks.
Choice D reason: Increased caffeine consumption can counteract benzodiazepine effects by stimulating the central nervous system, potentially worsening anxiety. This is incorrect advice, as it could reduce the medication’s efficacy and exacerbate symptoms, making it less relevant than educating about dependence and tolerance risks.
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.
