Schizophrenia Overview
This mental illness affects approximately 1% of the population globally and is known for its chronic and severe nature.
👉 What is schizophrenia?
A false fixed belief with no basis in reality is called...
👉 What is a delusion?
Repeating someone else's words exactly is known as…
👉 What is echolalia?
This class of medications is more effective at treating positive symptoms only.
👉 What are typical (1st generation) antipsychotics?
What is the #1 cause of relapse in schizophrenia?
👉 What is medication noncompliance?
This term refers to the period when symptoms of schizophrenia are not active but negative symptoms may persist.
👉 What is the residual phase?
This type of hallucination involves hearing voices others can't hear.
👉 What is an auditory hallucination?
Random, jumbled words that don’t form a logical sentence describe this speech pattern.
👉 What is word salad?
Name two atypical (2nd gen) antipsychotics.
👉 What are Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, Abilify, Invega, etc.?
This type of care model includes services delivered in the community, where patients live, work, and play.
👉 What is ACT (Assertive Community Treatment)?
Name three common comorbidities or challenges often seen in individuals with schizophrenia that contribute to poor health outcomes.
👉 What are substance abuse, medication noncompliance, and difficulty managing chronic medical conditions (like diabetes or hypertension)?
This delusion involves the belief that thoughts are being broadcast out loud so others can hear them.
👉 What is thought broadcasting?
This thinking disturbance causes a person to talk off-topic and never return to the question.
👉 What is tangentiality?
What is the potentially fatal side effect of antipsychotics that includes high fever and muscle rigidity?
👉 What is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?
Which set of symptoms (positive or negative) is hardest to treat and most disabling?
👉 What are negative symptoms?
Explain why schizophrenia is considered one of the most expensive chronic illnesses to treat.
👉 What is due to frequent hospitalizations, long-term care needs, disability, and loss of employment or productivity?
When a person’s emotional expression doesn’t match the content of their speech, it is called…
👉 What is incongruent affect?
Name three disorganized speech/thought patterns besides echolalia and word salad.
👉 What are neologism, clanging, perseveration, circumstantiality, looseness of association, or thought blocking? (any three)
What causes extrapyramidal side effects (EPS), and name one symptom.
👉 What is dopamine blockade; symptoms include akathisia, dystonia, pseudoparkinsonism, oculogyric crisis?
ist two goals of nursing interventions for patients with schizophrenia.
👉 What are safety, medication adherence, improving social skills, family education, promoting reality-based thinking, etc.?
Describe the cycle of schizophrenia in terms of its progression and long-term outlook, including the impact of repeated episodes.
👉 What is a pattern of remission and exacerbation, with each psychotic episode potentially lowering the patient’s baseline level of functioning?
Name all 5 types of hallucinations and give one example.
👉 What are auditory (voices), visual (seeing things), tactile (feeling bugs), olfactory (smelling smoke), and gustatory (tasting something bitter without a source)?
A patient holds their arm in an unusual position for hours and resists movement. Name two motor behaviors and define them.
👉 What are posturing and waxy flexibility?
Which medication is considered a last-resort due to agranulocytosis risk and requires regular WBC monitoring?
👉 What is Clozaril (clozapine)?
A patient has flat affect, alogia, and anhedonia. They are no longer hallucinating. What phase of schizophrenia are they likely in?
👉 What is the residual phase?