Dementia/Delirium
This condition has a sudden onset, fluctuates throughout the day, and is often caused by a medical issue.
What is delirium?
Hearing voices is an example of this positive symptom of schizophrenia.
What are auditory hallucinations?
This neurotransmitter is commonly associated with depression when levels are low.
What is serotonin?
The highest priority assessment in a client expressing suicidal thoughts.
What is determining plan, intent, and means?
This electrolyte imbalance is common in clients with bulimia due to vomiting.
What is hypokalemia?
A key early sign of dementia that involves difficulty remembering recent events.
What is short-term memory loss?
This Cluster A personality disorder is characterized by distrust and suspicion of others.
What is paranoid personality disorder?
A person in a manic phase may display this hallmark behavior.
What is pressured speech / flight of ideas?
Giving away possessions and sudden calmness may indicate this.
What is an increased suicide risk?
A hallmark symptom of OCD involving repetitive acts to reduce anxiety.
What are compulsions?
Name one nursing priority when caring for a patient with delirium.
What is ensuring safety, treating the underlying cause, or reorientation?
Disorganized speech is related to this type of thought disturbance in schizophrenia.
What are loose associations?
Sleep disturbances, anhedonia, and weight changes are key symptoms of this disorder.
What is major depressive disorder?
This safety intervention is required for a client at immediate risk for self-harm.
What is 1:1 observation?
The priority nursing intervention for a client with anorexia who has severe malnutrition.
What is medical stabilization / correcting electrolytes?
This cognitive deficit seen in dementia causes a patient to be unable to recognize familiar objects despite intact sensory function — for example, being unable to identify a toothbrush.
What is agnosia?
A patient with schizoid personality disorder typically demonstrates this feature.
What is social detachment or limited emotional expression?
This medication class is the first-line treatment for depression.
What are SSRIs?
Name one therapeutic communication technique when talking to a suicidal client.
What is using direct, nonjudgmental questions?
This therapy is the gold standard for treating anxiety disorders and OCD.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure–response prevention (for OCD)?
This reversible cause of dementia-like symptoms must always be ruled out before diagnosing dementia.
What is depression (pseudodementia)?
Flat affect, avolition, and alogia are examples of this symptom group in schizophrenia.
What are negative symptoms?
During a manic episode, this hallmark symptom involves excessive energy and decreased need for sleep, often leading to risky behaviors and impaired judgment.
What is increased psychomotor activity or decreased need for sleep?
This federal hotline is available 24/7 for anyone in crisis.
What is 988?
This physical assessment finding is a hallmark of anorexia nervosa and results from severe protein–calorie malnutrition, often appearing as fine, downy hair on the body.
What is lanugo?