Question 1

A positive outcome from attending a special-problems group is evidenced by which statement by a patient?&#10;A) &#34;You're a great group leader and kept things moving smoothly.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;This experience wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;I rely on the group to help me make decisions.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;I learned how my anger affects other people.&#34;

Accepted Answer

Learning more about one's behavior and its effects on others is an appropriate outcome for group therapy. The other options do not reflect patient growth.

Question 2

An anxious, withdrawn patient is experiencing auditory hallucinations. This patient could benefit most at this time from participation in:&#10;A) a recreation group.&#10;B) an insight-oriented group.&#10;C) a reality orientation group.&#10;D) a stress management group.

Accepted Answer

A reality orientation group is a type of support group for patients who have confusion and short attention spans and who might be frightened, anxious, and isolated. The focus is on the "here and now," which is an aid to reality testing. The other types of groups would not be as beneficial.

Question 3

Which type of group is a staff nurse with 2 months' psychiatric experience best qualified to conduct?&#10;A) Social skills group&#10;B) Family therapy group&#10;C) Medication education group&#10;D) Insight-oriented psychotherapy group

Accepted Answer

All nurses receive information about patient teaching strategies and basic information about psychotropic medications, making a medication education group a logical group for a beginner to conduct.

Question 4

The nurse asks members of a group for recovering alcoholics how they handle the urge to drink. Which communication technique is the nurse using?&#10;A) Summarizing&#10;B) Presenting reality&#10;C) Encouraging comparison&#10;D) Seeking consensual validation

Accepted Answer

Distinguishing among the techniques listed shows that the nurse is encouraging comparisons. Asking members to compare and contrast their experiences promotes group sharing.

Question 5

A talkative member of a support group for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder has monopolized the group discussion for 15 minutes. The nurse leading the group would best intervene by:&#10;A) maintaining silence. It is important for group members to give feedback to each other.&#10;B) encouraging the patient to continue. Patients learn from each other in group sessions.&#10;C) saying, &#34;You must allow some of the other members of the group to talk. You cannot monopolize the conversation.&#34;&#10;D) addressing the patient by name and saying, &#34;I'm glad you shared your thoughts with us. Let's hear what others think.&#34;

Accepted Answer

This intervention provides support for the dominant patient but opens the floor for contributions from others. Doing nothing or encouraging the patient to continue would be ineffective strategies, because they fail to recognize the needs of others in the group.

Question 6

Which patient would benefit most from a group that focuses on reality orientation?&#10;A) Adolescent with mixed drug and alcohol abuse&#10;B) Adult with undifferentiated schizophrenia&#10;C) Older adult with depression&#10;D) Young adult in crisis

Accepted Answer

Reality orientation groups are helpful for patients who are confused and unable to perceive and interpret reality accurately. The patient with undifferentiated schizophrenia is the choice of patients for the reality group, because misperception of reality and poor reality testing are usually part of the patient's clinical picture.

Question 7

After a patient's first group session, the nurse asks, &#34;How was the experience of participating in group for you?&#34; Which communication technique is the nurse using?&#10;A) Summarizing&#10;B) Seeking clarification&#10;C) Making observations&#10;D) Encouraging evaluation

Accepted Answer

Distinguishing among the techniques listed shows that the nurse is encouraging evaluation when asking a patient to make a judgment about the experience. This opens the door to further exploration of thoughts and feelings.

Question 8

During a support group meeting focusing on strategies to manage symptoms, a patient asks the nurse leader how to deal with angry outbursts from a supervisor. Select the nurse's best action.&#10;A) solve the question, and then move on to another topic.&#10;B) Offer to solve the question privately after the group session.&#10;C) Inform the patient that only illness-related problems can be discussed in the group.&#10;D) Matter-of-factly explain that the topic being discussed is the importance of medication.

Accepted Answer

Some patients ask distracting questions, seeking answers directly from the leader. The nurse leader preserves the group process by returning the focus to the group and the topic being discussed. Only the correct option accomplishes this.

Question 9

What is the primary purpose of referring a patient to an activity group?&#10;A) Assess the patient's social skills.&#10;B) Provide cognitive and sensory stimulation.&#10;C) Encourage socialization and communication.&#10;D) Educate the patient about use of leisure time.

Accepted Answer

Activity groups are vehicles to facilitate patient interaction and communication with others and provide enjoyment. Although the other options are true, they are secondary in nature.

Question 10

A patient says, &#34;I wish I could express my depressed feelings rather than keeping them inside.&#34; The nurse should schedule the patient to attend which type of group?&#10;A) Social skills&#10;B) Special problems&#10;C) Reality orientation&#10;D) Relapse prevention

Accepted Answer

Scheduling the patient for group sessions with others with depression would allow the patient to address this need in a supportive, understanding environment. The patient does not need reality orientation or social skills and has not expressed a need for relapse prevention information.

Question 11

These comments are made by patients in a support group. Which comment best contributes to group cohesiveness and effectiveness?&#10;A) &#34;Talking about my problems helps me think of ways to solve them. Let me explain them to everyone.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;We aren't making progress because our group leader has as many problems as we do.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;No one in this group wants to hear anything else about your financial problems.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;We started out talking about guilt, but we wandered off from that subject.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of These comments are made by patients in...

Question 12

After attending a group, which statement by a patient shows evidence of benefits associated with universality?&#10;A) &#34;I've learned to identify my anxious feelings.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;The group really gave me the support to change.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;I've learned that I can be helpful to others.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;My problems are not unique. I'm not alone.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of After attending a group, which statement by...

Question 13

A leader begins the discussion at the first meeting of a new group. Which comment should be included?&#10;A) &#34;It is important for everyone to arrive on time for our group.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;Talking to family members about our group will help us achieve our goals.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Everyone is expected to share a personal experience at each group meeting.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Groups provide more cost-effective treatment in this time of budget constraints.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A leader begins the discussion at the...

Question 14

A leader begins the discussion at the first meeting of a new group. Which comment would be most appropriate?&#10;A) &#34;Let's start by establishing some rules for our group.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;Let's begin with each person here defining his or her problem.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;I want each person to explain why he or she is attending this group.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Talking to family about our group will help us achieve our goals.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A leader begins the discussion at the...

Question 15

A patient admitted to an inpatient unit after a suicide attempt says, "I feel so overwhelmed. There are so many issues I have to deal with." The nurse should schedule the patient to attend which type of group?

A) Social skills
B) Psychodrama
C) Problem-solving
D) Medication information

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient admitted to an inpatient unit...

Question 16

A nurse leads a psychoeducational group for patients diagnosed with residual schizophrenia. A realistic outcome for group members is that they will:&#10;A) discuss ways to manage their illness.&#10;B) develop a high level of trust and cohesiveness.&#10;C) understand unconscious motivation for behavior.&#10;D) demonstrate insight about development of their illness.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse leads a psychoeducational group for...

Question 17

Which intervention would be most appropriate for the nurse to use when conducting a maintenance group?&#10;A) Helping patients identify better coping strategies&#10;B) Accepting, empathizing, and showing concern&#10;C) Asking patients to identify topics for the group&#10;D) Confronting ingrained behaviors and defenses

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which intervention would be most appropriate for...

Question 18

A patient in a support group says, &#34;I'm tired of being sick. Everyone always helps me, but I'll be glad when I can help someone else.&#34; This statement reflects:&#10;A) altruism.&#10;B) universality.&#10;C) cohesiveness.&#10;D) corrective recapitulation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient in a support group says,...

Question 19

A patient in a detoxification unit asks, "What good will it do to go to Alcoholics Anonymous and talk to other people with the same problem?" The nurse's best response would be to explain that self-help groups such as AA provide opportunities for:

A) newly discharged alcoholics to learn about the disease of alcoholism.
B) people with common problems to share their experiences with alcoholism and recovery.
C) patients with alcoholism to receive insight-oriented treatment about the etiology of their disease.
D) professional counselors to provide guidance to individuals recovering from alcoholism.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient in a detoxification unit asks,...

Question 20

A psychiatric nurse clinician on an inpatient unit plans to lead a special-problems group for withdrawn patients. Which information will be of most assistance as the nurse prepares for this assignment?

A) Inpatient groups rarely have a lasting beneficial effect.
B) Inpatient groups have short-term, goal-oriented sessions.
C) Inpatient groups are helpful for patients with verbal skills.
D) Inpatient groups facilitate insight into deeply rooted life issues.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A psychiatric nurse clinician on an inpatient...

Question 21

A leader begins the discussion at the first meeting of a new group. Which comments should be included? Select all that apply.&#10;A) &#34;We use groups to provide treatment, because it's a more cost-effective use of staff in this time of budget constraints.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;When someone shares a personal experience, it's important to keep the information confidential.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Talking to family members about our group discussions will help us achieve our goals.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;Everyone is expected to share a personal experience at each group meeting.&#34;&#10;E) &#34;It is important for everyone to arrive on time for our group.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of A leader begins the discussion at the...

Question 22

A nurse prepares to lead an anger management group, which is what type of group?&#10;A) Psychoeducational&#10;B) Self-help&#10;C) Activity&#10;D) Support

Accepted Answer

The answer of A nurse prepares to lead an anger...

Question 23

While a member of a group shares painful feelings of guilt, another member begins humming and tapping the side of the chair. Select the leader's best initial action with the disruptive patient.&#10;A) Recognize that the behavior is an expression of anxiety, and do not interrupt it.&#10;B) Say, &#34;Please stop humming and tapping. It is disruptive to our group.&#34;&#10;C) Say, &#34;Please leave the group now. Your behavior is inappropriate.&#34;&#10;D) Say, &#34;You seem uncomfortable with our discussion.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of While a member of a group shares...

Question 24

As members disperse at the conclusion of a productive group meeting, one member says, &#34;Let's have a big group hug.&#34; Select the leader's most appropriate response.&#10;A) &#34;Hugging is not permitted.&#34;&#10;B) &#34;I am glad you found the meeting so helpful.&#34;&#10;C) &#34;Thanks for that suggestion, but not everyone may be comfortable with hugs.&#34;&#10;D) &#34;The group is over now. Members may not have continued contact with each other.&#34;

Accepted Answer

The answer of As members disperse at the conclusion of...

Question 25

When a patient voices a delusion during a group session, the nurse can effectively handle the situation by (select all that apply):&#10;A) using empathy.&#10;B) presenting reality.&#10;C) exploring the delusional content.&#10;D) focusing on the underlying need expressed.&#10;E) asking the group what they think about the delusion.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When a patient voices a delusion during...

Deck 10: Working with Groups of Patients