Question 1

After successful alcohol detoxification, a client remarked to a friend, "I've tried to stop drinking, but I just can't; I can't even work without having a drink." The client's belief that he needs alcohol indicates his dependence is primarily?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Saying he cannot function without alcohol after detox reflects a craving- and belief-based need, indicating psychological dependence rather than ongoing physical withdrawal.

Question 2

While interviewing a client who abuses alcohol, the nurse learns that the client has experienced "blackouts." The wife asks, "What does this mean?" The best response at this time is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Alcohol-induced blackouts cause temporary loss of memory for events during intoxication, though consciousness is maintained.

Question 3

Which medication would a client with cocaine addiction most likely be placed on?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Amantadine, a dopaminergic agent, has been used to reduce cocaine withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Methadone treats opioid dependence, disulfiram treats alcohol use disorder, and THC is not used to treat cocaine addiction.

Question 4

What would be included in the nursing care plan for a client experiencing severe delirium tremens?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: With delirium tremens, minimize misperceptions by reducing visual stimuli and potential sources of illusions; keeping closets and bathroom doors closed helps prevent misinterpretation and hallucination-related agitation. A dark room worsens illusions; diuretics are not indicated, and vital signs should be monitored more frequently than every eight hours.

Question 5

A polydrug user has been in recovery for 8 months. The client has begun skipping breakfast and not eating regular dinners. The client has also started frequenting bars to 'see old buddies.' The nurse understands that the client's behavior is a warning sign to indicate that?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Skipping meals and returning to bars/old using peers are classic high-risk behaviors signaling impending relapse in clients recovering from substance use.

Question 6

Delirium tremors are withdrawal symptoms of which substance?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Delirium tremens is a severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome; it is not characteristic of cocaine, opioid, or cannabis withdrawal.

Question 7

Which of the following drugs is most commonly used worldwide in maintenance doses for opioid dependence?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Methadone, a long-acting opioid agonist, is the most widely used maintenance therapy for opioid dependence. Naltrexone is an antagonist for relapse prevention post-detox; imipramine is an antidepressant; disulfiram treats alcohol dependence.

Question 8

Dependence is often associated with tolerance to a drug, a physical abstinence syndrome, and psychological dependence (craving). This consideration is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Dependence typically includes tolerance, physical withdrawal (abstinence) symptoms, and psychological craving, so the statement is correct.

Question 9

The physician's notes state that a client with cocaine addiction has formication. The nurse recognizes that the client has?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Formication is the sensation of insects crawling on or under the skin, a tactile hallucination commonly associated with cocaine use.

Question 10

The client is admitted to the chemical dependence unit with an order for continuous observation. The nurse is aware that the doctor has ordered continuous observation because?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Hallucinogens primarily cause perceptual disturbances and distorted reality testing, increasing risk for unsafe behavior and self-harm; thus continuous observation is warranted. They typically do not cause severe respiratory depression or rapid physical dependence.

Question 11

A client with a history of abusing barbiturates abruptly stops taking the medication. The nurse should give priority to assessing the client for?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Abrupt withdrawal from barbiturates (sedative-hypnotics) leads to CNS hyperexcitability with autonomic hyperactivity—tachycardia, diaphoresis, GI upset (including diarrhea)—and can be life-threatening. Depression/suicidality is characteristic of stimulant withdrawal; muscle cramps/abdominal pain typify opioid withdrawal; euphoria is inconsistent with withdrawal.

Question 12

A client admits to benzodiazepine dependence for several years. She is now in an outpatient detoxification program. The nurse must understand that a PRIORITY during withdrawal is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Alcohol is a CNS depressant that potentiates benzodiazepines, increasing risk for oversedation and respiratory depression during withdrawal/taper. Abrupt discontinuation is unsafe, hypotension is not the priority, and symptoms may be severe.

Question 13

Following a cocaine high, the user commonly experiences an extremely unpleasant feeling called?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: After cocaine use, the intense euphoria is followed by a dysphoric 'crash' with fatigue and depression; this is termed crashing.

Question 14

Physical dependence is accompanied by what symptoms when alcohol consumption is first reduced or ended?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Physical dependence is defined by the development of withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is reduced or stopped; craving and tolerance are related features but not the immediate response, and seizures are a potential severe manifestation within withdrawal.

Question 15

The nurse sees a substance abusing client occasionally in the outpatient clinic. In evaluating the client's progress, the nurse recognizes that the MOST revealing resistant behavior is?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Ongoing substance use is the clearest indicator of resistance to treatment and lack of commitment to recovery; the other behaviors suggest resistance but are less definitive than continued drug use.

Question 16

Delirium tremors could BEST be described as?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Delirium tremens from alcohol withdrawal presents with confusion/disorientation, hallucinations, autonomic hyperactivity such as tachycardia, and marked agitation, making option C the best description.

Question 17

Dual diagnosis indicates that there is a substance abuse problem as well as a?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Dual diagnosis refers to co-occurring substance use disorder and a major psychiatric illness; thus the additional condition is a mental disorder.

Question 18

Which assessment finding would alert the nurse to ask the patient about alcohol use?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Abdominal tenderness should prompt screening for alcohol use because heavy alcohol consumption is a leading cause of gastritis, hepatitis, and acute pancreatitis, all of which present with abdominal pain and tenderness. In acute pancreatitis, alcohol is a major risk factor alongside gallstones. Vital sign changes such as low blood pressure, bradycardia, or fever are nonspecific and less directly suggestive of alcohol misuse. Therefore, abdominal tenderness is the most targeted cue to ask about alcohol intake.

Question 19

Which of the following is a risk factor for alcohol use disorder?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Alcohol use disorder has well-established risk factors including genetic vulnerability (family history), early initiation/exposure to alcohol, and comorbid psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety. Each of these factors increases the likelihood of problematic alcohol use through biologic predisposition, neurodevelopmental impacts of early use, and self-medication/overlapping neurocircuitry. Since A, B, and C are all valid risk factors, the most accurate choice is that all apply.

Question 20

In a client with substance abuse, which is the best indicator to assess the client's progress in rehabilitation?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The most objective and direct indicator of rehabilitation progress in substance use disorder is sustained abstinence, commonly tracked as number of drug-free days. Independence in ADLs and medication adherence may improve functioning but do not specifically demonstrate recovery from substance use. Willingness to follow up is a positive engagement sign, but it is less definitive than documented abstinence in reflecting treatment success.

Question 21

A nurse is working with a patient who says he drinks excessive alcohol how will the nurse respond to prevent ill health?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Excessive alcohol use is a substance-use problem that commonly requires structured treatment beyond brief education to reduce harm and prevent medical complications. Providing information and referral to a rehabilitation unit connects the patient to comprehensive assessment, detoxification support if needed, counseling, and relapse-prevention resources. This response is patient-centered and focuses on effective intervention pathways rather than only giving facts or financial advice. It also supports early linkage to services that can address dependence and associated safety risks.

Question 22

A client reports experiencing increased stress at work. The client has been managing the stress by drinking 2 or 3 glasses of wine per evening. Despite the nurse recommending that drinking alcohol is not an effective way to manage the stress, the client feels it will be difficult to stop drinking. Which statement explains why this will be difficult for the client?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Difficulty stopping a routinely used substance can reflect physiologic adaptation, where the body has adjusted to regular alcohol intake and stopping may trigger withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings. Drinking nightly to manage stress also suggests a maladaptive coping pattern that reinforces continued use through short-term relief, making cessation harder. Compared with explanations about social acceptability or minimizing the amount consumed, physical dependence most directly accounts for why stopping would be difficult even after education. Nursing priorities include recognizing possible dependence, assessing for withdrawal risk, and supporting safer coping strategies and treatment referral.

Question 23

A client with a history of abusing barbiturates abruptly stops taking the medication. The nurse should give priority to assessing the client for?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason:  Abrupt discontinuation after barbiturate abuse can produce a severe withdrawal syndrome with prominent neuropsychiatric instability, and patient safety is the immediate priority. Withdrawal is associated with anxiety, agitation, insomnia, and can progress to delirium and seizures; during this period, mood can rapidly deteriorate and impulsivity can increase. Assessing for self-harm risk is a high-priority nursing action because it is time-sensitive and can be immediately life-threatening. Autonomic or GI symptoms are less specific for this withdrawal picture and are not as critical as a suicide risk assessment when prioritizing psychosocial safety.

Question 24

The nurse should recognize that physical dependence is accompanied by what findings when alcohol consumption is first reduced or ended?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: In alcohol use disorder, stopping intake can trigger autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., tremor, diaphoresis, tachycardia), anxiety, insomnia, and in severe cases delirium tremens. Seizures can occur during alcohol withdrawal but are a specific potential complication rather than the defining finding of dependence across presentations. Craving and tolerance reflect addiction neurobehavioral features and pharmacodynamic adaptation, respectively, and do not specifically indicate physiologic dependence at cessation.

Question 25

A client who has been drinking for five years states that he drinks when he gets upset about "things" such as being unemployed or feeling like life is not leading anywhere. The nurse understands that the client is using alcohol as a way to deal with?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Unemployment and feeling that life lacks direction are broad external and internal stressors that can trigger drinking to self-soothe or escape negative affect. This framing best matches coping with stress rather than a single discrete emotion. While anger or guilt may be present, the stem emphasizes multiple situational concerns driving alcohol use, pointing to stress management deficits.

Question 26

A polydrug user has been in recovery for 8 months. The client has began skipping breakfast and not eating regular dinners. The client has also started frequenting bars to "see old buddies." The nurse understands that the client's behavior is a warning sign to indicate that the client may be?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Relapse risk increases when a person in recovery resumes high-risk behaviors and abandons recovery-supportive routines. Skipping meals and irregular eating can reflect deteriorating self-care and impaired coping, which commonly precede return to substance use. Going to bars to reconnect with prior drinking/drug-using peers is a classic trigger situation that increases exposure to cues and social pressure. The pattern described fits relapse warning signs more directly than depressive hopelessness, and it contradicts stable recovery behaviors like avoiding high-risk environments and maintaining structure.

Question 27

A client, recovering from alcoholism, asks the nurse, "What can I do when I start recognizing relapse triggers within myself?" How might the nurse best respond?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: " Relapse prevention relies on increasing insight into internal and external cues that precede substance use so the client can plan specific coping strategies before craving escalates. This response supports self-awareness and motivational change by validating that noticing triggers is a therapeutic step rather than a failure. The other choices are either too narrow (single situation like a bar), overly prescriptive, or focus on distraction, which may not address the underlying pattern driving cravings. Identifying triggers is the foundational first step that enables the client to choose effective supports (e.g., meetings, sponsor contact) proactively and consistently.

Question 28

The nurse is caring for a patient with a history of malingering. The nurse understands that malingering differs from somatic symptom disorders in that the former?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Somatic symptom and related disorders are characterized by symptoms that are not intentionally produced, with distress and preoccupation being the central features. This makes conscious deception with a clear secondary gain the key differentiator. Options describing expression of emotions physically or functional losses from conflict align more with somatic symptom-related or conversion presentations rather than deliberate feigning.

Question 29

A nurse is discussing Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with a client. What behavior expected of members of AA should the nurse include in the discussion?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Step 1 specifically emphasizes admitting powerlessness over alcohol and that life has become unmanageable, which directly matches the expected member behavior. AA does not require members to speak at meetings or meet a fixed attendance quota, so those options add rules AA does not impose. A common misconception is that recovery means learning to drink moderately; AA instead supports lifelong abstinence.

Question 30

Which is a self-help group for families of alcoholics?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Support programs for substance-use disorders include groups designed for the person with the addiction and separate groups for affected family members. This option is specifically intended for relatives and friends of individuals with alcohol use disorder, focusing on coping skills, boundaries, and support. A common distractor is the group intended for the individual with alcoholism rather than the family system. Recognizing these distinctions helps nurses provide accurate referrals and reinforce healthy support systems in recovery.

Question 31

In preparing an educational intervention for college students, a nurse understands that drinking alcoholic beverages is often used to relieve which condition?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Among college students, drinking is frequently associated with self-medication for situational or social anxiety and stress. While alcohol may produce short-term perceived calming, it worsens sleep quality and can increase rebound anxiety, reinforcing repeated use. Fatigue, headache, and stomach pain are not typical target symptoms for alcohol use and are more often exacerbated by drinking.

Question 32

When assessing a client with prolonged, chronic alcohol intake, the nurse would expect to find which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The liver is a primary site of ethanol metabolism, so prolonged exposure drives inflammation and fat accumulation that can be detected as enlargement. While peripheral neuropathy can occur with long-term alcohol use (often related to thiamine deficiency), it is less consistently expected as a primary general finding than liver enlargement. Nasal irritation is more associated with intranasal substance use, and muscle wasting may occur from malnutrition but is less specific than hepatomegaly for chronic alcohol intake.

Question 33

The nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing alcohol withdrawal. The nurse would be most concerned if the client exhibited which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This finding indicates significant CNS hyperexcitability and is associated with high risk for seizures, dangerous agitation, and rapidly escalating vital-sign instability, requiring urgent assessment and treatment (e.g., benzodiazepines and close monitoring). In contrast, nervousness, diaphoresis, and nausea are common early withdrawal manifestations and, while important to manage, are less predictive of imminent severe withdrawal syndromes. Prioritizing this symptom supports early recognition of deterioration and prevention of injury and medical emergencies.

Question 34

A nurse is caring for a client recovering from cocaine abuse. The priority intervention for this client would be?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Nursing priority follows ABCs and safety; among the choices, direct protection from suicide is the most urgent, time-sensitive intervention. Frequent orientation is more aligned with delirium/confusion management and is not the primary expected need in uncomplicated stimulant withdrawal. Skin care and nutrition support are appropriate supportive measures but do not address the highest immediate threat to life.

Question 35

A client has been admitted to the emergency department and states he just used cocaine. The nurse monitors the client for which condition?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: The most immediate, expected assessment finding after recent use is a rapid pulse, so continuous cardiac monitoring and frequent vital signs are priorities. Hypotension and bradypnea are more consistent with CNS depressant intoxication (e.g., opioids) or late decompensation rather than acute stimulant effects. Hyperthermia can occur with severe intoxication/excited delirium, but tachycardia is a more common and early physiologic response to cocaine use that signals cardiovascular instability.

Question 36

The nurse is caring for a client with a history of chronic alcoholism and is aware that the client may be predisposed to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This pathophysiology predisposes the client to symptoms and complications of congestive heart failure such as dyspnea, edema, and poor exercise tolerance. Among the options, this is the most established cardiovascular complication of long-term alcoholism. Arteriosclerosis is more strongly driven by factors like hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking rather than alcohol itself as a primary cause. Valvular damage and pericarditis are not classic direct sequelae of chronic alcoholism compared with cardiomyopathy-related failure.

Question 37

What is the most important assessment for a nurse to implement before starting a teaching session for a client who abuses alcohol?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: In alcohol misuse, readiness can fluctuate, so determining whether the client is alert, oriented, and receptive helps time teaching for maximum retention and safety. This assessment also guides how the nurse structures teaching (brief sessions, simple language, reinforcement) and whether motivational strategies are needed first. While sleep patterns, decision making, and note-taking can affect learning, they are secondary to confirming the client is currently able and willing to learn.

Question 38

The nurse is preparing a teaching plan for a client who abused alcohol. What is the most important information for the nurse to include?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Teaching the client to identify denial, minimization, rationalization, and “all-or-nothing” thoughts supports insight and strengthens coping choices in high-risk situations. This directly targets a core maintaining factor of substance use and is foundational to many recovery approaches (e.g., CBT and 12-step work). While communication skills and attending to personal needs are helpful, they are less central than addressing distorted thinking that drives continued use and undermines treatment engagement.

Question 39

A nurse is performing a physical assessment on a client who uses heroin. It is most important for the nurse to assess the client for which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Hepatitis B and especially hepatitis C are common, high-impact complications that may be asymptomatic early yet lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, making targeted assessment and screening a priority. Focused assessment should include risk history, signs of liver dysfunction (e.g., jaundice, RUQ discomfort), and need for serologic testing and vaccination when appropriate. The other options are not as directly linked to heroin use as a primary, high-prevalence, high-morbidity complication compared with viral hepatitis.

Question 40

A 20-year-old client is admitted with bone marrow depression. He tells the nurse he’s been abusing drugs since age 13. The nurse reviews the client’s history for use of which drug?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Inhalant abuse—particularly products containing hydrocarbons like benzene and related solvents—is classically associated with aplastic anemia and other marrow-suppressive effects. This makes a history of inhalant use a key focus when unexplained marrow suppression is present, especially in someone who began substance abuse in early adolescence when inhalants are more accessible. Stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines more commonly cause cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric toxicity rather than primary marrow failure, and marijuana is not a typical cause of bone marrow depression.

Question 41

The nurse is assessing a client who repeatedly abuses cocaine. It is important for the nurse to observe the client for which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Repeated use also increases risk for paranoia and panic due to heightened catecholamine activity and sleep deprivation. Bipolar mood cycling is a distinct mood disorder pattern and is not a typical direct observation target specific to cocaine use. Expressive aphasia is a focal neurologic deficit more consistent with stroke; while cocaine can increase stroke risk, routine assessment emphasis is on acute stimulant-related anxiety/panic and safety.

Question 42

A client who uses cocaine finally admits he also abused other drugs to equalize the effect of cocaine. The nurse is aware that the client’s drug history may include which substance?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Cocaine can produce agitation, insomnia, and anxiety, and clients may use a central nervous system depressant to "come down" or blunt these effects. Ethanol is frequently co-used with cocaine for this purpose, despite increasing medical risk (e.g., additive cardiotoxicity and impaired judgment). Stimulants like amphetamines and caffeine would typically intensify rather than offset stimulant symptoms, and phencyclidine does not serve as a typical depressant "equalizer" for cocaine in this context.

Question 43

The nurse is developing a plan of care for a client who has been using phencyclidine (PCP). What is the priority assessment for this client?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: In nursing prioritization, imminent safety threats take precedence because they drive the need for rapid containment, environmental control, and possible emergency interventions. Assessing for aggression and escalating behavior guides the least-restrictive but effective safety plan (low-stimulation setting, security support, and PRN sedation per protocol). While seizures and delirium can occur, the most characteristic and immediately dangerous presentation requiring early assessment and planning is potential for violence.

Question 44

A nurse is assessing a client with a history of cocaine abuse. The nurse is aware that the assessment may include which finding?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Repeated ischemia with irritation and infection leads to mucosal necrosis and can progress to septal ulceration and perforation. This is a classic physical assessment finding in chronic “snorting” cocaine use and has high specificity compared with more nonspecific ENT complaints. Findings like glossitis or ear infections are not characteristic consequences of cocaine use and would more strongly suggest other etiologies.

Question 45

The nurse who works in a rehabilitation facility knows that psychosocial interventions for substance abuse include?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Substance use disorder treatment commonly uses a biopsychosocial approach, combining counseling-based modalities with medications when indicated. Medications such as opioid agonists/partial agonists or antagonists, and agents used for alcohol use disorder, are established components of comprehensive rehabilitation plans. The other options are clearly psychosocial interventions, but this question is testing awareness that effective treatment is not limited to counseling alone and also includes medical therapies delivered in the rehab setting. Because the stem asks what interventions “include,” the best single answer highlights the additional core modality that complements psychosocial care rather than repeating only psychosocial formats.

Question 46

The nurse is counseling the client with a substance abuse disorder. Which defense mechanism is the nurse most likely to observe the client using in response to a stressful event?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This pattern commonly includes reverting to earlier, less mature behaviors such as dependency, tantrums, or poor impulse control, which is characteristic of this mechanism. In contrast, one of the options represents a mature defense that channels stress into socially acceptable actions and is less typical of maladaptive substance-use coping. The remaining options can occur in many psychiatric contexts but are less specifically associated with the stress response pattern frequently seen in addiction.

Question 47

A client tells the nurse that he used amphetamines to be productive at work. The nurse is aware that abrupt discontinuation of the drug will produce which symptom?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This client used amphetamines for performance enhancement, so sudden discontinuation is most consistent with an anxious, agitated withdrawal picture (often with depression and hypersomnia). Increased yawning is classically associated with opioid withdrawal rather than stimulant withdrawal. Amotivational syndrome is more characteristic of chronic cannabis use, and altered perceptions are more typical of intoxication (e.g., hallucinogens) than stimulant withdrawal.

Question 48

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing amphetamine withdrawal. The nurse should assess the client for which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Assessing sleep is clinically important because withdrawal can lead to severe depression and functional impairment, and sleep pattern changes are a key marker of the crash phase. Increased yawning is more characteristic of opioid withdrawal. Psychomotor agitation is more typical of stimulant intoxication, while withdrawal more often causes slowed activity and low energy despite possible irritability. Difficulty concentrating can occur, but sleep disturbance is a more classic and expected withdrawal finding to assess early.

Question 49

A group of teenagers tell the school nurse they used cocaine because they were bored. What is the most important goal for the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: Substance use in adolescents is often reinforced by triggers such as boredom and lack of structured, healthy alternatives, so the priority goal is to reduce relapse risk by addressing the precipitating factor. Creating a planned schedule of engaging activities provides coping structure, promotes adaptive behavior, and replaces time previously available for drug-seeking. A didactic lecture may increase knowledge but does not reliably change behavior or remove triggers in the moment. Punitive responses (loss of privileges) or immediate parental reporting may be necessary per policy, but they are not the primary therapeutic goal for preventing recurrence and can undermine trust and disclosure if handled as the main focus.

Question 50

A client who formerly used lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is seeking counseling. The nurse anticipates that the assessment of the client will include which finding?

Accepted Answer

Answer reason: This experience is classically described as “loss of ego boundaries,” reflecting impaired differentiation between self and external reality. While anxiety and panic can occur during intoxication (“bad trip”), it is less characteristic as a defining assessment finding for former LSD use in counseling compared with the hallmark dissociative/perceptual phenomena. Lack of trust and recurrent depression are nonspecific and are not uniquely associated with hallucinogen effects.

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After successful alcohol detoxification, a client remarked to a friend, "I've tried to stop drinking, but I just can't; I can't even work without having a drink." The client's belief that he needs alcohol indicates his dependence is primarily?

While interviewing a client who abuses alcohol, the nurse learns that the client has experienced "blackouts." The wife asks, "What does this mean?" The best response at this time is?

Which medication would a client with cocaine addiction most likely be placed on?

What would be included in the nursing care plan for a client experiencing severe delirium tremens?

A polydrug user has been in recovery for 8 months. The client has begun skipping breakfast and not eating regular dinners. The client has also started frequenting bars to 'see old buddies.' The nurse understands that the client's behavior is a warning sign to indicate that?

Delirium tremors are withdrawal symptoms of which substance?

Which of the following drugs is most commonly used worldwide in maintenance doses for opioid dependence?

Dependence is often associated with tolerance to a drug, a physical abstinence syndrome, and psychological dependence (craving). This consideration is?

The physician's notes state that a client with cocaine addiction has formication. The nurse recognizes that the client has?

The client is admitted to the chemical dependence unit with an order for continuous observation. The nurse is aware that the doctor has ordered continuous observation because?

A client with a history of abusing barbiturates abruptly stops taking the medication. The nurse should give priority to assessing the client for?

A client admits to benzodiazepine dependence for several years. She is now in an outpatient detoxification program. The nurse must understand that a PRIORITY during withdrawal is?

Following a cocaine high, the user commonly experiences an extremely unpleasant feeling called?

Physical dependence is accompanied by what symptoms when alcohol consumption is first reduced or ended?

The nurse sees a substance abusing client occasionally in the outpatient clinic. In evaluating the client's progress, the nurse recognizes that the MOST revealing resistant behavior is?

Delirium tremors could BEST be described as?

Dual diagnosis indicates that there is a substance abuse problem as well as a?

Which assessment finding would alert the nurse to ask the patient about alcohol use?

Which of the following is a risk factor for alcohol use disorder?

In a client with substance abuse, which is the best indicator to assess the client's progress in rehabilitation?

A nurse is working with a patient who says he drinks excessive alcohol how will the nurse respond to prevent ill health?

A client with a history of abusing barbiturates abruptly stops taking the medication. The nurse should give priority to assessing the client for?

The nurse should recognize that physical dependence is accompanied by what findings when alcohol consumption is first reduced or ended?

A client who has been drinking for five years states that he drinks when he gets upset about "things" such as being unemployed or feeling like life is not leading anywhere. The nurse understands that the client is using alcohol as a way to deal with?

A polydrug user has been in recovery for 8 months. The client has began skipping breakfast and not eating regular dinners. The client has also started frequenting bars to "see old buddies." The nurse understands that the client's behavior is a warning sign to indicate that the client may be?

A client, recovering from alcoholism, asks the nurse, "What can I do when I start recognizing relapse triggers within myself?" How might the nurse best respond?

The nurse is caring for a patient with a history of malingering. The nurse understands that malingering differs from somatic symptom disorders in that the former?

A nurse is discussing Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with a client. What behavior expected of members of AA should the nurse include in the discussion?

Which is a self-help group for families of alcoholics?

In preparing an educational intervention for college students, a nurse understands that drinking alcoholic beverages is often used to relieve which condition?

When assessing a client with prolonged, chronic alcohol intake, the nurse would expect to find which of the following?

The nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing alcohol withdrawal. The nurse would be most concerned if the client exhibited which of the following?

A nurse is caring for a client recovering from cocaine abuse. The priority intervention for this client would be?

A client has been admitted to the emergency department and states he just used cocaine. The nurse monitors the client for which condition?

The nurse is caring for a client with a history of chronic alcoholism and is aware that the client may be predisposed to which of the following?

What is the most important assessment for a nurse to implement before starting a teaching session for a client who abuses alcohol?

The nurse is preparing a teaching plan for a client who abused alcohol. What is the most important information for the nurse to include?

A nurse is performing a physical assessment on a client who uses heroin. It is most important for the nurse to assess the client for which of the following?

A 20-year-old client is admitted with bone marrow depression. He tells the nurse he’s been abusing drugs since age 13. The nurse reviews the client’s history for use of which drug?

The nurse is assessing a client who repeatedly abuses cocaine. It is important for the nurse to observe the client for which of the following?

A client who uses cocaine finally admits he also abused other drugs to equalize the effect of cocaine. The nurse is aware that the client’s drug history may include which substance?

The nurse is developing a plan of care for a client who has been using phencyclidine (PCP). What is the priority assessment for this client?

A nurse is assessing a client with a history of cocaine abuse. The nurse is aware that the assessment may include which finding?

The nurse who works in a rehabilitation facility knows that psychosocial interventions for substance abuse include?

The nurse is counseling the client with a substance abuse disorder. Which defense mechanism is the nurse most likely to observe the client using in response to a stressful event?

A client tells the nurse that he used amphetamines to be productive at work. The nurse is aware that abrupt discontinuation of the drug will produce which symptom?

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing amphetamine withdrawal. The nurse should assess the client for which of the following?

A group of teenagers tell the school nurse they used cocaine because they were bored. What is the most important goal for the nurse?

A client who formerly used lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is seeking counseling. The nurse anticipates that the assessment of the client will include which finding?

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