A nurse is caring for a patient who recently began treatment with haloperidol. The patient suddenly develops a high fever, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and sweating. Which of the following should the nurse suspect?

Serotonin Syndrome

Tardive Dyskinesia

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)

Extrapyramidal Side Effects (EPS)

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Rationale:

A. Serotonin syndrome presents with similar symptoms (e.g., hyperthermia, agitation, neuromuscular abnormalities), but it is usually associated with serotonergic medications (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs), not antipsychotics like haloperidol.

B. Tardive dyskinesia involves involuntary, repetitive movements (e.g., lip smacking, tongue protrusion), but not fever or altered mental status.

C. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare but life-threatening reaction to antipsychotics like haloperidol. Key features include high fever, "lead pipe" muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability (e.g., diaphoresis, fluctuating blood pressure).

D. Extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) include akathisia, dystonia, and parkinsonism—these do not typically involve fever or altered consciousness.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Rationale:

A. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition) provides a standardized classification system with specific diagnostic criteria used by clinicians to diagnose mental health conditions reliably and consistently.

B. Evaluating pharmacologic therapy effectiveness is not the DSM-5’s purpose; that is part of clinical research and treatment planning, not diagnosis.

C. The DSM-5 does not prescribe treatment protocols—it is strictly a diagnostic manual.

D. While the DSM-5 considers biological and environmental influences, it does not classify disorders based on genetic findings.

A. Unconscious B. Id C. Ego D. Superego

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Rationale:

A. The unconscious is a level of awareness, not a structural part of the personality.

B. The id operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of instinctual drives.

C. The ego functions on the reality principle, mediating between the impulsive demands of the id, the moral constraints of the superego, and the realities of the external world.

D. The superego represents internalized moral standards and ideals but does not mediate between impulses and reality—that is the ego's role.

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A nurse is caring for a patient who recently began treatment with haloperidol. The patient suddenly develops a high fever, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and sweating. Which of the following should the nurse suspect?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nursing student asks the psychiatric nurse preceptor about the function of the DSM-5 in clinical practice. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the DSM-5?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is discussing Freud's psychoanalytic theory with a patient undergoing psychotherapy. According to Freud, which part of the personality operates based on the reality principle and mediates between instinctual desires and societal rules?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A client insists that government agents are monitoring their every move and controlling their thoughts, despite clear evidence to the contrary. What thought process is the patient currently experiencing?

During the termination phase of the nurse-client relationship, which of the following outcomes is most commonly observed?

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A client is frustrated and angry with their supervisor at work but chooses to express this anger by yelling at their family members at home. According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, this behavior is an example of which defense mechanism?

A nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a patient who recently suffered an ischemic stroke affecting the occipital lobe. Which of the following findings would be most consistent with this area of brain injury?