Which of the following activities would be considered nursing care and appropriate to be performed by a basic level nurse for a patient suffering from mental illness?
Prescribing antidepressant medication.
Teaching coping skills for a specific family dynamic.
Conducting psychotherapy.
Treating major depressive disorder.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Prescribing antidepressant medication is an advanced practice function, legally restricted to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), specifically Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMH-NPs), or physicians. This activity involves complex diagnostic reasoning and prescriptive authority that lies outside the scope of practice for a basic level registered nurse (RN), who focuses instead on medication administration and monitoring.
Choice B rationale
Teaching coping skills for specific life stressors or family dynamics is a core, appropriate function for a basic level registered nurse. It involves utilizing health teaching and health promotion principles to enhance the patient's adaptive abilities and stress management, a fundamental intervention within the general scope of psychiatric-mental health nursing practice.
Choice C rationale
Conducting psychotherapy, which involves the systematic application of a theoretical framework to treat mental disorders, is generally an independent function of a specialist, such as an APRN (PMH-NP) or other licensed mental health professionals. The basic level nurse's role is typically focused on therapeutic communication and counseling, not formalized, specialized psychotherapy.
Choice D rationale
The treatment of major depressive disorder encompasses a wide range of specialized interventions, including prescribing, advanced psychotherapeutic modalities, and complex case management. This comprehensive treatment function is ultimately the responsibility of the multidisciplinary team, with the APRN or psychiatrist primarily leading the medical and advanced therapy aspects, exceeding the basic RN's independent scope.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Resilience is the dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation and the ability to maintain mental and physical well-being despite experiencing adversity or stress. This statement demonstrates the core tenets of resilience: acknowledging the stressor ("Losing my job was hard") and expressing self-efficacy and a proactive approach to recovery by utilizing existing resources and capabilities ("my skills will help me get another one").
Choice B rationale
This statement reflects hopelessness and pessimism, characterized by a fixed negative outlook on future health despite intervention. Resilience involves maintaining optimism and the expectation of a positive eventual outcome even during hardship, which is directly contradicted by this statement's absolute belief in permanent poor health.
Choice C rationale
This statement illustrates a dependence on others for essential life tasks during a crisis, indicating a lack of resilience or a temporary decompensation under stress. While understandable, resilience involves the ability to manage and function autonomously or to marshal one's own resources to cope with significant loss.
Choice D rationale
This statement is an expression of altruism or parental sacrifice and does not directly relate to the individual's ability to bounce back from personal adversity. Resilience focuses on the self's capacity to adapt and overcome challenges, not on the prioritization of another's well-being over one's own needs or desires.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Serotonin 5HT_2 receptors are targeted by many atypical antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Blocking these receptors is associated with desired effects like improved mood and reduced psychosis, but also with side effects like weight gain or hypotension. It is not the primary mechanism responsible for dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision, which are characteristic anticholinergic effects.
Choice B rationale
Acetylcholine (ACh) receptors, specifically muscarinic receptors, are blocked by many psychotropic drugs, especially older antidepressants and antipsychotics. This anticholinergic action inhibits parasympathetic nervous system responses, leading to the classic peripheral side effects: dry mouth (xerostomia), constipation (decreased peristalsis), and blurred vision (mydriasis/cycloplegia), which are directly mediated by ACh blockade.
Choice C rationale
Alpha-1 (α_1) adrenergic receptors are blocked by many psychotropic agents, especially antipsychotics. Blocking these receptors causes vasodilation and is primarily associated with orthostatic hypotension (dizziness upon standing) and reflex tachycardia. While it may sometimes contribute to overall side effect burden, it is not the direct cause of the triad of dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision.
Choice D rationale
Histamine (H_1) receptors are blocked by many psychotropic drugs, particularly those with sedative properties. This blockade primarily leads to side effects such as sedation, drowsiness, and weight gain. While it contributes to the overall side effect profile, it is not the main pharmacological mechanism responsible for the distinct cluster of dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision symptoms.
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