Cluster A
(Odd/Eccentric)
(Odd/Eccentric)
A patient believes coworkers are trying to harm him despite no evidence. What is the best nursing response?
A. “That is not true.”
B. “Why do you feel that way?”
C. “I understand you feel unsafe.”
D. “You need to trust people more.”
What is
C. “I understand you feel unsafe.”
A patient alternates between calling a nurse “the best” and “the worst”. This is:
A. Projection
B. Splitting
C. Regression
D. Displacement
What is
B. Splitting
A patient avoids social situations due to fear of criticism. Which disorder is most likely the cause?
A. Schizoid
B. Avoidant
C. Dependent
D. Paranoid
What is
B. Avoidant
What is the primary goal when caring for patients with personality disorders?
A. Cure the disease
B. Promote safety and behavior change
C. Eliminate symptoms completely
D. Encourage dependency
What is
B. Promote safety and behavior change
A patient with antisocial personality disorder becomes aggressive. What is the PRIORITY?
A. Build rapport
B. Ensure safety
C. Teach coping skills
D. Explore feelings
What is
B. Ensure safety
Which finding is most characteristic of schizotypal personality disorder?
A. Emotional detachment
B. Lack of relationships
C. Magical thinking
D. Fear of abandonment
What is
C. Magical thinking
What is the PRIORITY intervention for borderline personality disorders?
A. Encourage independence immediately
B. Set clear and consistent limits
C. Avoid discussing feelings
D. Allow flexible boundaries
What is
B. Set clear and consistent limits
Which behavior is most characteristic of dependent personality disorder?
A. Impulsivity
B. Need for reassurance
C. Emotional detachment
D. Grandiosity
What is
B. Need for reassurance
Which interventions is BEST when a patient is manipulative?
A. Ignore behavior
B. Set consistent boundaries
C. Reward behavior
D. Allow flexibility
What is
B. Set consistent boundaries
A patient is “splitting” staff. What is the BEST intervention?
A. Assign one nurse
B. Ensure consistent communication among staff
C. Confront patient
D. Ignore behavior
What is
B. Ensure consistent communication among staff
Which intervention is PRIORITY for paranoid personality disorder?
A. Encourage group therapy
B. Use humor to build trust
C. Maintain consistent staff interactions
D. Promote emotional expression
What is
C. Maintain consistent staff interactions
A patient manipulates staff to get special treatment. What is the BEST response?
A. Ignore the behavior
B. Provide reassurance
C. Set clear and consistent limits
D. Confront harshly
What is
C. Set clear and consistent limits
A patient is excessively focused on order, rules and perfection. Which disorder is this?
A. OCB
B. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
C. Anxiety disorder
D. Borderline personality disorder
What is
B. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Which therapy is most effective for borderline personality disorder?
A. Psychoanalysis
B. Electroconvulsive therapy
C. Dialectical behavior therapy
D. Hypnosis
What is
C. Dialectical behavior therapy
A patient has intense fear of abandonment. What is the BEST intervention?
A. Encourage isolation
B. Provide consistency and clear boundaries
C. Avoid discussing feelings
D. Promote independence immediately
What is
B. Provide consistency and clear boundaries
A patient prefers to be alone, shows little emotional expression, and avoids relationships. Which disorder is most likely affecting this patient?
A. Paranoid
B. Schizoid
C. Avoidant
D. Dependent
What is
B. Schizoid
Which statement is most consistent with narcissistic personality disorder?
A. “I’m afraid people will leave.”
B. “I am better than everyone else here.”
C. “I avoid people because i feel judged.”
D. “I need someone to make decisions for me.”
What is
B. “I am better than everyone else here.”
Which intervention is BEST for dependent personality disorder?
A. Encourage independence
B. Promote reliance on others
C. Avoid decision making
D. Limit communication
What is
A. Encourage independence
A patient with histrionic personality disorder is behaving dramatically and attempting to draw attention during therapy. What is the BEST nursing intervention?
A. Allow the behavior to continue to avoid embarrassment
B. Redirect the patient to focus on relevant topics
C. Provide extra attention to meet emotional needs
D. Remove the patient from the group immediately
What is
B. Redirect the patient to focus on relevant topics
The nurse is delegating care for patients with personality disorders. Which task is appropriate to assign to an assistive personnel (AP)?
A. Reinforcing limit-setting with a borderline patient
B. Monitoring for escalating agitation in an antisocial patient
C. Assisting a dependent patient with activities of daily living
D. Evaluating coping skills of an avoidant patient
What is
C. Assisting a dependent patient with activities of daily living
A patient with schizotypal personality disorder states, “I can read people’s thoughts, and they can read mine.” The patient is cooperative but socially withdrawn. What is the BEST nursing response?
A. “That is not possible; no one can read minds.”
B. “That must feel overwhelming; tell me more about that.”
C. “Why do you believe that is happening?”
D. “You should focus on reality instead of those thoughts.”
What is
B. “That must feel overwhelming; tell me more about that.”
A patient with borderline personality disorder tells one nurse, “You’re the only one who understands me,” and tells another nurse, “You don’t care if I live or die.” What is the PRIORITY nursing intervention?
A. Assign one consistent nurse to the patient
B. Document behavior and continue care independently
C. Conduct a team meeting to ensure consistent responses
D. Confront the patient about the manipulative behavior
What is
C. Conduct a team meeting to ensure consistent responses
A patient with avoidant personality disorder refuses to attend group therapy, stating, “Everyone will judge me.” What is the BEST initial nursing intervention?
A. Insist the patient attend to improve social skills
B. Allow total avoidance of all group interactions
C. Explore the patient’s fears and gradually introduce exposure
D. Provide reassurance that no one will judge them
What is
C. Explore the patient’s fears and gradually introduce exposure
A patient with narcissistic personality disorder becomes angry when not given special privileges and states, “i deserve better treatment than everyone else.” What is the BEST nursing response?
A. “You are not more important than other patients.”
B. Provide special privileges to reduce conflict
C. Maintain consistent limits and expectations for all patients
D. Ignore the behavior unless it escalates
What is
C. Maintain consistent limits and expectations for all patients
The nurse is caring for four patients with personality disorders. Which patient should the nurse see FIRST?
A. A patient with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder who is upset about a change in routine
B. A patient with dependent personality disorder requesting help making a decision
C. A patient with borderline personality disorder who has superficial self-inflicted cuts
D. A patient with antisocial personality disorder who is pacing and clenching fists
What is
D. A patient with antisocial personality disorder who is pacing and clenching fists