NURS 751 Midterm
1. All of the following are questions included in the CAGE screening for alcohol problems EXCEPT:
Have you ever felt tired and fatigued after drinking?
2. Dopamine is produced in which of the following locations: Substantia nigra
3. A decrease in receptor binding for which neurotransmitter is found in individuals with
depression: serotonin
4. A patient reports frequent nightmares. For which of these should the PMHNP assess the
patient? History of traumatic event
5. The following prevalence rates for schizophrenia in specific populations are accurate EXCEPT:
Non-twin sibling of a schizophrenic patient 16%
6. Which of the following is not a psychotic prone personality disorder: Paranoid personality
disorder
7. A patient has positive signs of schizophrenia and is scheduled for a brain scan. What part of
the brain does the healthcare professional expect the scan to focus on? Temporal lobe
8. A client comes to the nursing unit with a blood pressure of 180/110 mm Hg, pulse 102, and
respirations 20. Hand tremors are present, along with diaphoresis and complaints of anxiety,
nervousness. There is a long-standing history of alcohol and cocaine abuse. The client is most
likely experiencing: alcohol withdrawal
9. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner working in a crisis stabilization unit evaluates
a patient verbalizing suicidal thoughts after being sexually assaulted. Before processing
through the traumatic event, the nurse practitioner first attempt to: provide an environment of
safety
10. Ms. Thomas has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and is placed on
antidepressant medication for depression. For PMHNP to effectively monitor her use of the
medication, which of the following actions should be part of ongoing care? Use of a
standardized rating scale of depression
11. A healthcare professional is seeing a patient with suspected schizophrenia. For which prenatal
occurrence should the professional assess? Viral infection
12. Which best describes beliefs that most people would describe as a misrepresentation of
reality, or a disorder of thought content? Delusions
13. A patient has been diagnosed with lithium toxicity. Which electrolyte imbalance does the
healthcare professional correlate with this condition? Hyponatremia
14. Clients that are addicted to one substance are also addicted to other substances within the
same category. This is called: cross tolerance
15. A client present with complaints of changes in appetite, feeling fatigued, problems with sleep-
rest cycle and changes in libido. What is the neuroanatomical area of the brain that is
responsible for the normal regulation of these functions: hypothalamus
16. What is the link between major depression and cortisol secretion? Individuals with depression
show that persistently elevated plasma cortisol levels can result in inflammation that is believed
to trigger depression
17. The common property among the three types of medications used to treat depression is that
they do what: increase neurotransmitter levels within the synapse
18. A new client reveals to the PMHNP that her boyfriend screams at her and has repeatedly
slapped and pushed her in front of her 3 year old son. She goes on to say that the boyfriend
has thrown things at her and on one occasion threw a glass of water at her that hit her son in
the back. Should the PMHNP report this to child protective services (CPS)? Yes, the PMHNP has
a duty to report.
19. Serotonin is produced in which of the following locations? Raphe nuclei (I remember this by
“Ser Raphe”)
20. Which neurotransmitter is reduced in individuals with schizophrenia? Gamma-aminobutyric
acid
21. Which are the physiological effects of prolonged, severe stress on the body? Enlargement of
the adrenal cortex and lymphatic structures
22. Mr. Johnson is a client newly admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. The PMHNP on call
