A patient is prescribed an intramuscular dose of 150 mg of an antipsychotic drug. The available vial contains 200 mg/mL. How many milliliters should the nurse administer?
0.5 mL
0.75 mL
1 mL
1.5 mL
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Administering 0.5 mL would result in a total dose of 100 mg, calculated by multiplying 0.5 mL by the concentration of 200 mg/mL. This represents a subtherapeutic dose that fails to meet the 150 mg prescription, potentially leading to inadequate control of the patient's acute psychiatric symptoms.
Choice B reason: The required volume is calculated using the formula: Desired dose / Have concentration = Volume. In this clinical scenario, 150 mg / 200 mg/mL = 0.75 mL. This precise volume ensures the delivery of the exact milligram dosage required for the intramuscular injection while maintaining pharmacological safety standards.
Choice C reason: Administering 1 mL would provide 200 mg of the antipsychotic medication, which is a 50 mg surplus over the ordered amount. Such a medication error increases the risk of dose-dependent adverse effects, such as extrapyramidal symptoms, profound sedation, or acute dystonia in the psychiatric patient.
Choice D reason: A volume of 1.5 mL would deliver 300 mg of the drug, which is double the prescribed therapeutic dose. This significant overdose could lead to severe neurotoxicity, cardiovascular complications, or neuroleptic malignant syndrome, representing a major failure in medication administration safety protocols and nursing vigilance.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Digestion and metabolism are primarily regulated by the hypothalamus and the autonomic nervous system, specifically the parasympathetic branch. The amygdala does not have a direct role in these metabolic processes, as its primary function is centered on emotional processing and the detection of environmental threats.
Choice B reason: Modulating visual sensory input is the primary function of the occipital lobe and parts of the thalamus, such as the lateral geniculate nucleus. While the amygdala receives visual information to scan for threats, it does not modulate the primary sensory input itself but rather interprets the emotional significance.
Choice C reason: The amygdala serves as the brain's emotional centers, specifically for processing fear and aggression. In anxiety disorders, the amygdala becomes hyperactive, triggering the hypothalamus to activate the sympathetic nervous system. This results in the physiological "fight or flight" response, including increased heart rate and heightened arousal.
Choice D reason: Regulating voluntary motor functions is the responsibility of the primary motor cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. The amygdala is part of the limbic system, and while it can influence motor behavior in response to fear (such as freezing), it does not regulate general voluntary movement or coordination.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is the gold standard for treating acute stress disorder. It helps patients identify and restructure maladaptive thought patterns related to the trauma and employs coping strategies to manage autonomic arousal, potentially preventing the progression to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
Choice B reason: While exposure therapy is a component of CBT often used for chronic PTSD, it must be applied very carefully in the acute phase of stress. Immediate, intensive exposure can sometimes re-traumatize a patient who has not yet developed the foundational stabilization skills taught in broader CBT models.
Choice C reason: Medication alone, such as benzodiazepines or SSRIs, may manage acute symptoms like insomnia or severe anxiety but does not address the underlying cognitive processing of the traumatic event. Evidence suggests that pharmacological intervention is most effective when used as an adjunct to psychotherapeutic modalities.
Choice D reason: Long-term psychoanalysis focuses on unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences over several years. This approach is not appropriate for the acute, time-limited nature of acute stress disorder, which requires immediate, symptom-focused, and practical interventions to restore the patient's level of functioning.
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