Kaplan and Sadocks Synopsis of Psychiatry Questions

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rationale: Choice C is correct because it encourages the patient to express both positive and negative feelings about her husband and their relationship. This approach helps the patient process complex emotions and move towards a more realistic view of the past. It promotes emotional healing and growth by allowing the patient to acknowledge and work through conflicting feelings. Summary of Incorrect Choices: A: While emotional support is important, simply enlisting the support of family and friends may not address the underlying issues of idealization and unresolved emotions. B: Keeping a daily journal may reinforce the idealization of the husband and could potentially hinder the patient's progress in coming to terms with the reality of the relationship. D: Reading about abuse and support groups may provide information, but it does not directly address the patient's need to explore and express her own feelings about her husband and their relationship.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Implement suicide precautions. This is the highest priority because the patient has a plan for suicide, which poses an immediate risk to their safety. Implementing suicide precautions involves ensuring the patient's environment is safe, removing any potential means of self-harm, and closely monitoring the patient to prevent any suicide attempts. Choice B is incorrect because offering high-calorie snacks and fluids frequently addresses the physical aspect of weight loss but does not address the immediate safety concern of suicide. Choice C is incorrect because assisting the patient to identify personal strengths is important for building self-esteem but is not the highest priority when the patient is at risk for suicide. Choice D is incorrect because observing the patient for therapeutic effects of antidepressant medication is important but not as urgent as ensuring the patient's safety in the case of suicidal ideation.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because promoting mental and spiritual health across the lifespan addresses bereavement proactively by providing support and resources before, during, and after losses occur. This approach allows individuals to build resilience and cope effectively with grief. Choice B is incorrect as it focuses on impending loss, missing the opportunity for early intervention. Choice C is incorrect as immediate intervention may not be suitable for everyone and may overlook the importance of ongoing support. Choice D is incorrect as waiting for the patient to request intervention may delay support and hinder the healing process.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rationale: 1. Educating the patient and family is crucial as it helps alleviate anxiety and ensures informed consent. 2. Monitoring vital signs (A) should be done before, during, and after the procedure, not necessarily in a specific order. 3. Medication administration (B) should be based on physician's orders but is not the initial step. 4. Checking a signed consent (D) is important but typically done before proceeding with any procedure, not necessarily in a specific order.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Step 1: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment for severe depression and other mental health disorders. Step 2: Current biological theory suggests that ECT produces changes in brain chemistry, specifically neurotransmitters, leading to improved mood. Step 3: The correct answer (A) aligns with this theory by explaining how ECT impacts brain chemistry to alleviate symptoms. Step 4: Answer B is incorrect as ECT is not used as punishment but as a therapeutic intervention. Step 5: Answer C is incorrect as ECT is not primarily used to interrupt brain impulses causing hallucinations and delusions. Step 6: Answer D is incorrect as ECT does not shock the brain into re-establishing normal electrical patterns but rather affects neurotransmitter levels.