NCLEX Review & Nursing School

Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia

A patient with schizophrenia would usually have:

• Lack of emotion (flat affect)
• Strongly held beliefs that are not based in reality (delusions)
• Hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
• Problems paying attention
• Thoughts “jump” between unrelated topics ( “loose associations”)
• Bizarre behaviors
• Social isolation

Positive Symptoms

• Delusions
• Hallucinations

Bipolar Disorders

• Composed of Acute Mania and Major Depression

Acute Mania

• Nursing Intervention includes providing the client a quiet a non stimulating environment.

Major Depression

• The preferred medication (antidepressant) for depression is:  SSRI, MAOI’s and TCA.
• Electroconvulsive Therapy- premedicate first with atropine sulfate.