Positive or Negative?
This symptom involves hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, or otherwise perceiving something without an external stimulus.
hallucination
A patient repeats exactly what the nurse just said. What is this?
echolalia
A fixed false belief that cannot be changed by reasonable argument is called this.
delusion
Which requires immediate safety assessment: "I hear someone calling my name" or "The voice is telling me to jump out the window?"
The command hallucination telling the patient to jump.
First-generation antipsychotics are also known by this name.
typical antipsychotics
Flat or blunted affect, alogia, avolition, and anhedonia fall into this category of schizophrenia symptoms.
negative symptoms
A patient gives a long, excessive answer with many unnecessary details but eventually answers the original question. What is this?
circumstantiality
A patient believes the government is monitoring them through their television. This is most consistent with this type of delusion.
persecutory delusion
A patient develops involuntary muscle spasms of the neck and head after receiving an antipsychotic.
acute dystonia
This type of antipsychotic treats both positive and negative symptoms and works on dopamine and serotonin.
atypical/second-generation antipsychotics
Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized behavior belong to this category.
positive symptoms
A patient begins discussing their hospitalization but suddenly shifts to a completely unrelated topic and never returns to the original question. What is this?
tangentiality
A patient believes they have extraordinary powers and can control world events.
grandiose delusion
A patient taking an antipsychotic has tremors, rigidity, slow movement, and loss of balance.
pseudoparkinsonism
This antipsychotic is associated with agranulocytosis and requires regular CBC monitoring.
clozapine (Clozaril)
A patient has stopped participating in activities they once enjoyed and reports that nothing feels pleasurable anymore. What is this negative symptom called?
anhedonia
A patient suddenly jumps from one topic to another with no apparent logical connection between the ideas. What is this?
loose associations
A patient says, "I hear a voice telling me that I need to kill myself." This type of hallucination is particularly concerning because of its content.
command hallucination
A patient taking an antipsychotic has a temperature of 104°F, severe muscle rigidity, diaphoresis, tachycardia, altered mental status, and unstable blood pressure. What is the priority concern?
neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)
A patient taking an antipsychotic develops an inability to sit still and extreme restlessness.
akathisia
A patient knows they need to complete their morning hygiene routine but cannot initiate or persist in the goal-directed behavior. What is this negative symptom?
avolition
A patient says, "I need my car because it's a star, and the star is far, and far means bar." What is this?
clang association
The nurse says, "I don't hear the voices, but I understand that they are frightening to you." This response demonstrates this important nursing approach.
acknowledging the patient's experience/feelings without validating the hallucination
A patient taking an antipsychotic medication develops severe muscle rigidity, tremors, confusion, a high fever, diaphoresis, and tachycardia. The nurse suspects a life-threatening medication reaction. What action should the nurse take FIRST?
Withhold the antipsychotic medication and notify the provider. Further assess the patient.
A patient taking an antipsychotic develops repetitive lip smacking, tongue movements, and facial twitching after long-term treatment.
tardive dyskinesia