1 :

Hint : 💭Beck’s triad = self, world, future (all negative).

Correct Answers:

  • Negative view of the self, the world, and the future


Rationale :

💎 Cognitive triad: Beck’s theory states that depression results from negative automatic thoughts about oneself (“I’m worthless”), the world (“Nothing good ever happens”), and the future (“I’ll never feel better”).

💎 Core distortion: These maladaptive beliefs reinforce hopelessness and helplessness, maintaining depressive mood.

💎 Assessment clue: The pattern of self-blame and despair directly reflects the triad, not psychosis or physical symptoms.

💎 Therapeutic care: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) challenges these irrational beliefs and fosters realistic thinking.

💎 Outcome focus: Helping clients restructure cognition reduces relapse and improves mood regulation.


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2 :

Hint : 👶Depression can begin in preschoolers.

Correct Answers:

  • "Children as young as 3 years of age have been diagnosed with depression."


Rationale :

🔷 Prevalence trends: Depression affects all age groups, and early-onset depression has become increasingly recognized due to improved awareness and diagnostic criteria.

🔷 Childhood depression: Can manifest as irritability, somatic complaints, or withdrawal, not always sadness.

🔷 Clinical significance: Early detection prevents chronic mood disorders and suicide risk later in life.

🔷 Epidemiology: The lifetime prevalence of MDD is rising due to socioeconomic stressors and cultural changes.

🔷 Nursing implication: Be alert for nonverbal signs of depression in children and ensure supportive family education.


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3 :

Hint : 🌪️Firm + calm = safe mania care.

Correct Answers:

  • Display a firm, calm approach.


Rationale :

💠 Mania behavior: Clients are often hyperactive, impulsive, and distractible, requiring structured calm communication.

💠 Nursing approach: A firm, consistent tone and clear limits reduce overstimulation and prevent escalation.

💠 Safety: Protect client from self-harm or exploitation; restrict access to valuables and limit stimuli.

💠 Avoid: Lengthy explanations—clients in mania have short attention spans and poor concentration.

💠 Goal: Promote rest, nutrition, and decrease environmental triggers.


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4 :

Hint : 🤫Silence speaks louder than pressure.

Correct Answers:

  • Sitting quietly with the client, allowing them time to respond or remain silent


Rationale :

🟢 Therapeutic silence: Demonstrates acceptance and presence, allowing the client to process and feel supported.

🟢 Depressive psychomotor slowing: Clients with severe depression need extra time to respond due to slowed thinking.

🟢 Avoid pressure: Forcing speech increases anxiety and guilt; silence communicates respect and empathy.

🟢 Nonverbal support: A calm, nonjudgmental presence strengthens trust.

🟢 Nursing action: Use simple statements and allow pauses; silence can be healing.


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5 :

Hint : 💡 Zoloft + serotonin boosters = danger zone.

Correct Answers:

  • Concurrent use of St. John's wort
  • Initiating phenelzine (Nardil)
  • Administration of Robitussin Cough Medicine


Rationale :


🔶 St. John’s Wort: Herbal antidepressant that increases serotonin levels; combining with SSRIs like Zoloft can cause serotonin syndrome.

🔶 Phenelzine (Nardil): An MAOI; concurrent use with SSRIs is contraindicated due to risk of hypertensive crisis and serotonin toxicity (must allow a 14-day washout).

🔶 Robitussin (dextromethorphan): Common OTC cough syrup; potentiates serotonin and may trigger serotonin syndrome when taken with SSRIs.

🔶 ECT: Safe with SSRIs and can be effective in treatment-resistant depression.

🔶 Nursing focus: Monitor for serotonin syndrome signs—confusion, hyperreflexia, fever, tremor, and diaphoresis.


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6 :

Hint : ⚖️Safety, structure, and self-care = mania control.

Correct Answers:

  • Ensuring the client has a safe environment by removing potentially harmful objects.
  • Encouraging the client to rest and eat regularly, monitoring hydration and nutrition.
  • Documenting the client's behavior thoroughly, including any impulsive or aggressive actions, to meet legal requirements.
  • Using calm, concise communication, setting clear limits, and explaining consequences of unsafe behaviors.


Rationale :

💎Safe environment: Clients in mania are impulsive and risk-prone; removing harmful or breakable objects prevents accidental or intentional injury.

💎Rest and hydration: Manic clients often neglect eating and sleeping; monitoring nutrition and fluids prevents exhaustion and dehydration.

💎Documentation: Thorough, factual documentation of impulsive or aggressive acts is essential for legal protection and continuity of care.

💎 Calm, concise limits: Firm but kind communication and clear boundaries reduce escalation and preserve therapeutic control.

💎 Allowing financial access increases risk of reckless spending or exploitation.

💎 Neglecting hygiene can worsen infection and self-esteem issues.


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7 :

Hint : 💡If kidneys fail, lithium can kill.

Correct Answers:

  • Serum creatinine 2.01 mg/dL


Rationale :

🔷 Renal clearance: Lithium is excreted unchanged by the kidneys; impaired renal function leads to toxic accumulation.

🔷 Normal range: Serum creatinine should be 0.6–1.3 mg/dL; 2.01 indicates renal insufficiency.

🔷 Toxic risk: In renal impairment, even therapeutic doses can quickly rise to toxic levels (>1.5 mEq/L).

🔷 Other labs: Sodium 135 (normal), T3/T4 slightly low (monitor thyroid), glucose 120 (not a contraindication).

🔷 Nursing action: Report to provider; hold lithium until renal status is clarified.


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8 :

Hint : ⚖️1.16 = steady and safe.

Correct Answers:

  • It is a normal level and does not require additional nursing intervention.


Rationale :

💠 Therapeutic range: Maintenance lithium level is 0.6–1.2 mEq/L; 1.16 is within normal range.

💠 Timing: Blood sample drawn 8–12 hours after last dose ensures accurate trough reading.

💠 Monitor ongoing: Continue regular checks for toxicity signs—tremor, confusion, vomiting.

💠 Client teaching: Encourage adequate fluid and sodium intake to maintain balance.

💠 Toxic level: Above 1.5 mEq/L requires dose adjustment; >2.0 = medical emergency.


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9 :

Hint : ☀️Light lifts serotonin and sets rhythm.

Correct Answers:

  • "Light therapy helps regulate serotonin and circadian rhythms that affect mood."


Rationale :

🟢 Mechanism: Phototherapy mimics daylight, regulating serotonin and melatonin, balancing mood and sleep–wake cycles.

🟢 Indication: Used for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), where reduced sunlight decreases serotonin and disrupts circadian rhythm.

🟢 Therapeutic action: Restores biochemical balance and improves energy, mood, and concentration.

🟢Light decreases, not increases, melatonin. Dopamine/endorphin modulation isn’t the primary effect.

🟢 Safety: Use in morning for 30–45 min; avoid direct eye exposure.


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10 :

Hint : 💗Empathy heals more than advice.

Correct Answers:

  • It encourages nurses to approach clients with empathy and avoid minimizing their emotional suffering.


Rationale :

🔶 Core principle: Depression involves profound emotional pain; understanding it promotes empathy, patience, and nonjudgmental care.

🔶 Therapeutic presence: Empathy builds trust and encourages clients to express suicidal or hopeless thoughts safely.

🔶 Avoid minimization: Statements like “everyone feels sad” invalidate feelings and worsen isolation.

🔶 Holistic care: Effective management integrates emotional support, pharmacologic therapy, and psychoeducation.

🔶 Outcome: Empathetic nurses foster hope and engagement in recovery.


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Total Questions: 10

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