NURSING 326 Substance-Related and
Addictive Disorders
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which is the priority nursing diagnosis for a client experiencing alcohol withdrawal?
A. Risk for injury R/T central nervous system stimulation
...
NURSING 326 Substance-Related and
Addictive Disorders
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which is the priority nursing diagnosis for a client experiencing alcohol withdrawal?
A. Risk for injury R/T central nervous system stimulation
B. Disturbed thought processes R/T tactile hallucinations
C. Ineffective coping R/T powerlessness over alcohol use
D. Ineffective denial R/T continued alcohol use despite negative consequences
2. The nurse evaluates a client’s patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump and notices 100
attempts within a 30-minute period. Which is the best rationale for assessing this client for
substance use disorder?
A. Narcotic pain medication is contraindicated for all clients with active substance use
problems.
B. Clients who are regularly using alcohol or benzodiazepines may have developed
cross-tolerance to analgesics and require increased doses to achieve effective pain
control.
C. There is no need to assess the client for substance use disorder. There is an obvious
PCA malfunction.
D. The client is experiencing symptoms of withdrawal and needs to be accurately
assessed for lorazepam (Ativan) dosage.
3. On the first day of a client’s alcohol detoxification, which nursing intervention is the priority?
A. Strongly encourage the client to attend 90 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in 90
days.
B. Educate the client about the biopsychosocial consequences of alcohol abuse.
C. Administer ordered chlordiazepoxide (Librium) in a dosage per protocol.
D. Administer vitamin B1 to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
4.Which client statement indicates a knowledge deficit related to substance use?
A. “Although it’s legal, alcohol is one of the most widely abused drugs in our
society.”
B. “Tolerance to heroin develops quickly.”
C. “Flashbacks from lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) use may reoccur
spontaneously.”
D. “Everyone smokes marijuana. It’s like smoking cigarettes. It’s harmless.”
5.A lonely, depressed divorcée has been self-medicating with cocaine for the past year. Which term
does the nurse identify that best describes the client’s situation?
A. The client is experiencing psychological addiction.
B. The client is experiencing physical addiction.
C. The client is experiencing substance addiction.
D. The client is experiencing social addiction.6.Which term should the nurse use to describe the administration of a CNS depressant during alcohol
withdrawal?
A. Antagonist therapy
B. Deterrent therapy
C. Codependency therapy
D. Substitution therapy
7. A client diagnosed with Chronic Alcohol Use Disorder is being discharged from an inpatient
treatment facility after detoxification. Which client outcome related to Alcoholics Anonymous
(AA) is most appropriate for the nurse to discuss with the client during discharge teaching?
A. After discharge, the client will immediately attend 90 AA meetings in 90 days.
B. After discharge, the client will rely on an AA sponsor to help control alcohol
cravings.
C. After discharge, the client will incorporate family in AA attendance.
D. After discharge, the client will seek appropriate deterrent medications through AA.
8. A client with a history of heavy alcohol use is brought to an emergency department (ED) by
family members who state that the client has had nothing to drink in the last 24 hours. Which
client symptom should the nurse immediately report to the ED physician?
A. Antecubital bruising
B. Blood pressure of 180/100 mm Hg
C. Mood rating of 2/10 on numeric scale
D. Dehydration
9. Which client statement demonstrates positive progress toward recovery from a substance use
disorder?
A. “I have completed detox and therefore am in control of my drug use.”
B. “I will faithfully attend Narcotics Anonymous (NA) when I can’t control my
cravings.”
C. “As a church deacon, my focus will now be on spiritual renewal.”
D. “Taking those pills got out of control. It cost me my job, marriage, and children.”
10. The nurse holds the hand of a client who is withdrawing from alcohol. What is the nurse’s
rationale for this intervention?
A. To assess for emotional strength
B. To assess for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
C. To assess for tachycardia
D. To assess for fine tremors
11. Upon admission for symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, a client states, “I haven’t eaten in 3
days.” Assessment reveals BP 170/100 mm Hg, P 110, R 28, and T 97°F (36°C) with dry skin,
dry mucous membranes, and poor skin turgor. Which of the following is the priority nursing
diagnosis?
A. Knowledge deficit
B. Fluid volume excess
C. Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirementsD. Ineffective individual coping
12. A mother who has a history of chronic heroin use has lost custody of her children due to abuse
and neglect. She has been admitted to an inpatient drug rehabilitation program. Which client
statement indicates to the nurse that the client has a positive prognosis?
A. “I’m not going to use heroin ever again. I know I’ve got the willpower to do it this
time.”
B. “I cannot control my use of heroin. It’s stronger than I am.”
C. “I’m going to get all my children back. They need their mother.”
D. “Once I deal with my childhood physical abuse, recovery should be easy.”
13. A client’s wife has been making excuses for her alcoholic husband’s work absences. In family
therapy, she states, “I just need to work harder to get him there on time.” Which is the
appropriate nursing response?
A. “Why do you assume responsibility for his behaviors?”
B. “Codependency is a typical behavior of spouses of alcoholics.”
C. “Your husband needs to deal with the consequences of his drinking.”
D. “Do you understand what the term enabler means?”
14. Which medication orders should the nurse anticipate for a client who has a history of
complicated withdrawal from benzodiazepines?
A. Haloperidol (Haldol) and fluoxetine (Prozac)
B. Carbamazepine (Tegretol) and donepezil (Aricept)
C. Disulfiram (Antabuse) and lorazepam (Ativan)
D. Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and phenytoin (Dilantin)
15. During group therapy, a client diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder states, “I would not have
boozed it up if my wife hadn’t been nagging me all the time to get a job. She never did think
that I was good enough for her.” How should the nurse interpret this statement?
A. The client is using denial by avoiding responsibility.
B. The client is using displacement by blaming his wife.
C. The client is using rationalization to excuse his alcohol dependence.
D. The client is using reaction formation by appealing to the group for sympathy.
16. The nurse is interviewing a client in an outpatient drug treatment clinic. To promote success
in the recovery process, which initial outcome should the nurse expect the client to
accomplish?
A. The client will identify one person to turn to for support.
B. The client will give up all old drinking buddies.
C. The client will be able to verbalize the effects of alcohol on the body.
D. The client will correlate life problems with alcohol use.
17. The nurse is reviewing STAT laboratory data of a client presenting in the ED. What is the
minimum blood alcohol level at which should the nurse expects intoxication to occur?
A. 50 mg/dL
B. 100 mg/dL
C. 250 mg/dL
D. 300 mg/dL18. A client has a history of daily bourbon drinking for the past 6 months. He is brought to an ED
by family, who report that his last drink was 1 hour ago. It is now 12 midnight. When will the
nurse expect this client to exhibit withdrawal symptoms?
A. Between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m.
B. Shortly after a 24-hour period
C. At the beginning of the third day
D. Withdrawal is individualized and cannot be predicted
19. A client diagnosed with depression and substance use disorder has an altered sleep pattern and
demands that a psychiatrist prescribe a sedative. Which rationale explains why the nurse
should encourage the client to try nonpharmacological interventions first?
A. Sedative-hypnotics are potentially addictive and will lose their effectiveness due to
tolerance.
B. Sedative-hypnotics are expensive and have numerous side effects.
C. Sedative-hypnotics interfere with necessary rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
D. Sedative-hypnotics are not as effective to promote sleep as are antidepressant
medications.
20. A client with a history of insomnia has been taking chlordiazepoxide (Librium), 15 mg, at
night for the past year. The client currently reports this dose is no longer helping him fall
asleep. Which nursing diagnosis appropriately documents this problem?
A. Ineffective coping R/T unresolved anxiety AEB substance abuse
B. Anxiety R/T poor sleep AEB difficulty falling asleep
C. Disturbed sleep pattern R/T chlordiazepoxide (Librium) tolerance AEB difficulty
falling asleep
D. Risk for injury R/T addiction to chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
21. A client is admitted for alcohol detoxification. During detoxification, which symptoms should
the nurse expect to assess?
A. Gross tremors, delirium, hyperactivity, and hypertension
B. Disorientation, peripheral neuropathy, and hypotension
C. Oculogyric crisis, amnesia, ataxia, and hypertension
D. Hallucinations, fine tremors, confabulation, and orthostatic hypotension
22. A recovering alcoholic relapses and drinks a glass of wine. The client presents in the ED
experiencing severe throbbing headache, tachycardia, flushed face, dyspnea, and continuous
vomiting. The nurse recognizes that the client’s symptoms indicate which of the following?
A. Alcohol poisoning
B. Cardiovascular accident (CVA)
C. A reaction to disulfiram (Antabuse)
D. A reaction to tannins in the red wine23.A client is asking the nurse about a newly prescribed medication, acamprosate calcium (Campral).
Which is the nurse’s best reply?
A. “This medication will help you maintain your abstinence.”
B. “This medication will cause uncomfortable symptoms if you combine it with
alcohol.”
C. “This medication will decrease the effect alcohol has on your body.”
D. “This medication will lower your risk of experiencing a complicated withdrawal.”
24. The nurse is caring for a client who has been prescribed disulfiram (Antabuse) as a deterrent
to alcohol relapse. Which information should the nurse include when teaching the client about
this medication?
A. “Only oral ingestion of alcohol will cause a reaction when taking this drug.”
B. “It is safe to drink beverages that have only 12 percent alcohol content.”
C. “This medication will decrease your cravings for alcohol.”
D. “Reactions to combining Antabuse with alcohol can occur for as long as 2 weeks
after stopping the drug.”
25. Which is the priority nursing intervention for a client admitted for acute alcohol intoxication?
A. Darken the room to reduce stimuli to prevent seizures.
B. Assess aggressive behaviors to prevent injury to self or others.
C. Administer lorazepam (Ativan) to reduce the rebound effects on the CNS.
D. Teach the negative effects of alcohol on the body.
26. A client diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder joins a community 12-step program and states,
“My life is unmanageable.” Which of the following indicates the nurse’s interpretation of the
client’s statement?
A. The client is using minimization as an ego defense.
B. The client is ready to sign an AA contract for sobriety.
C. The client has accomplished the first of 12 steps advocated by AA.
D. The client has met the requirements to be designated as an AA sponsor.
27. When assessing a client with polysubstance abuse, the nurse recognizes withdrawal from
which substance may require a life-saving emergency intervention?
A. Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
B. Diazepam (Valium)
C. Morphine (Astramorph)
D. Phencyclidine (PCP)
28. The nurse believes that a client being admitted for a surgical procedure may have a drinking
problem. How should the nurse further evaluate this possibility?
A. By asking directly if the client has ever had a problem with alcohol
B. By holistically assessing the client, using the Clinical Institute Withdrawal
Assessment scale
C. By using a screening tool such as the CAGE questionnaire
D. By referring the client for physician evaluation29.The triage nurse notes a client with a history of alcohol use disorder has an elevated heart rate,
palpitations, shortness of breath, and a dry cough. Which best explains the client’s symptoms?
A. Alcoholic myopathy
B. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
C. Esophagitis
D. Portal hypertension
30. Students in a community health nursing class recently attended a lecture regarding tobacco
use. Which student statement reflects the lecturer’s teaching was effective?
A. “The percentage of men who smoke is higher than that of women and
adolescents.”
B. “Nicotine is the most widely used substance in the United States.”
C. “Clients with severe mental illness have higher rates of smoking than those
without.”
D. “Smoking increases the risk of infant death due to cardiac defects.”
31. The nurse in the ED assesses a 17-year-old client exhibiting symptoms of opiate intoxication.
Which should be the nurse’s first action?
A. Contact the parents.
B. Administer oxygen.
C. Open the crash cart.
D. Administer naloxone (Narcan).
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
32. Which of the following nursing statements exemplifies important insights to promote effective
intervention with clients diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders? Select all that apply.
A. “I am easily manipulated and need to work on this prior to caring for these
clients.”
B. “Because of my father’s alcoholism, I need to examine my attitude toward these
clients.”
C. “Drinking is legal, so the diagnosis of substance use disorder is an infringement on
client rights.”
D. “Opiate addicts are typically uneducated, unrefined individuals who will need a lot
of education and social skills training.”
E. “I can fix clients diagnosed with substance use disorders as long as I truly care
about them.”
33. A nursing instructor is teaching students about cirrhosis of the liver. Which of the following
student statements about the complications of hepatic encephalopathy indicate further student
teaching is needed? Select all that apply.
A. “A diet rich in protein will promote hepatic healing.”
B. “This condition leads to a rise in serum ammonia, resulting in impaired mental
functioning.”
C. “In this condition, blood accumulates in the abdominal cavity.”
D. “Neomycin and lactulose are used in the treatment of this condition.”
E. “This condition is caused by the inability of the liver to convert ammonia to urea.”34. A nurse receiving counseling for codependency is in the recovery process. Which are
associated with codependent behaviors among nurses? Select all that apply.
A. Overspending
B. Social isolation
C. Perfectionism
D. Personal identity
E. Denial
35. Which of the following are symptoms of inhalant intoxication? Select all that apply.
A. Bradycardia
B. Euphoria
C. Hyperactive reflexes
D. Ataxia
E. Nystagmus
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