A nurse is caring for a patient with schizophrenia who has been prescribed aripiprazole. Which statement best reflects the primary therapeutic action of this medication?

"This medication works by completely blocking dopamine activity to eliminate hallucinations."

This medication enhances dopamine release to improve motivation and energy."

This drug balances dopamine activity."

This medication works only on serotonin receptors to reduce depressive symptoms.”

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Rationale:

A. Complete dopamine blockade is more characteristic of first-generation antipsychotics and can lead to significant side effects; aripiprazole does not act this way.

B. Aripiprazole does not directly enhance dopamine release; instead, it modulates dopamine activity.

C. Aripiprazole is a partial dopamine agonist, meaning it balances dopamine activity—reducing excessive dopamine in some areas of the brain (to treat psychosis) while enhancing it where it's low (to improve mood and motivation).

D. Aripiprazole acts on both dopamine and serotonin receptors, not serotonin alone, and is primarily used for psychotic disorders rather than depression exclusively.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is ["B","C","E"]

Explanation

Rationale:

A. Acceptance of the loss is a healthy part of normal grieving and not a sign of complicated grief.

B. Difficulty trusting others after a significant loss can indicate complicated grief, as it interferes with forming or maintaining relationships.

C. A history of depression is a risk factor for developing complicated grief and may worsen emotional recovery.

D. Understanding what happened reflects cognitive processing of the loss and is associated with normal, not complicated, grieving.

E. Emotional numbness or absence of emotion long after a loss can indicate complicated or prolonged grief, especially when it impairs daily functioning.

A. Slowest way to increase behavior but has a longer lasting effect. B. it causes the client to only perform the behavior when prompted by immediate rewards. C. It is less effective than fixed-ratio reinforcement for maintaining long-term behavior change. D. Fastest way to increase behavior but does not last long after reward stops.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Rationale:

A. Random reinforcement (also known as variable-ratio reinforcement) results in slower acquisition of a behavior but makes the behavior more resistant to extinction, meaning it continues longer even after the reinforcement stops.

B. This describes continuous reinforcement, not random reinforcement.

C. Random (variable-ratio) reinforcement is actually more effective than fixed-ratio for long-term maintenance because it keeps the behavior consistent due to unpredictability.

D. Rapid behavior increase with quick extinction is associated with continuous reinforcement, not random reinforcement.

View Question and Answer

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

A nurse is caring for a patient with schizophrenia who has been prescribed aripiprazole. Which statement best reflects the primary therapeutic action of this medication?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Correct Answer is ["B","C","E"]

Explanation

In behavioral therapy, which of the following best describes the effect of random reinforcement on a client's behavior?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Which of the following statements best reflects the core principle of humanistic theory that a psychiatric nurse should uphold to facilitate therapeutic growth in a client?

A client with major depressive disorder says to the nurse. 1 don't think I can go on living like this anymore." Which of the following responses by the nurse demonstrate nontherapeutic communication techniques? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is educating a group of new parents about risk factors associated with child abuse. Which of the following are common reasons why parents may abuse their children? (Select all that apply.)

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 a psychiatric assessment, a client displays behaviors consistent with fixation at the oral stage of Freud's psychosexual development. Which of the following behaviors would most likely indicate oral fixation according to Freud's theory?

A client who recently lost their spouse exhibits signs of withdrawal, expresses feelings of hopelessness, and reports difficulty sleeping and eating. Which stage of grief is the client most likely experiencing, and what is the nurse's most appropriate intervention?