Prepare for the NCLEX® with this question of the day focusing on borderline personality disorder, lithium, and mood disorders. Test your knowledge and review key concepts.
The nurse in the behavioral health emergency department is caring for a patient with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Which finding from the electronic health record is correlated with this disorder?
| Electronic Health Record (EHR) |
| Patient Name: Jamie OsmosisDOB: 2/11/1981 |
| Allergies: StrawberriesHome Medications: Lithium 300 mg PO TID, hydralazine 25 mg PO QD, pantoprazole 40 mg PO QD, cetirizine 10 mg PO QD. |
| Vital Signs: 98.7 F (37.0 C), Pulse 100/min, Respirations 14/min, Blood Pressure 115/74 mm Hg, Oxygen Saturation 97% on room air |
| Neurological Assessment: Alert and oriented to person, place, and time. |
| PHQ-9 score: 2/27 |
A. PHQ-9 score of 2/27
B. Lithium 300 mg PO TID
C. Hydralazine 25 mg
D. Blood pressure 115/74 mm Hg
Scroll down for the correct answer!
The correct answer to today’s NCLEX-RN® Question is…
B. Lithium 300 mg PO TID
Rationale: Lithium is a mood stabilizer and the medication of choice for treating patients with mood disorders such as BPD. Lithium changes the brain chemistry by modulating dopamine, glutamate, and GABA levels in the brian, which lead to the stabilization of mood.
Major Takeaway
The nurse should use clinical judgment to recognize cues related to borderline personality disorder (BPD) by identifying relevant and important information from different sources. Taking lithium is correlated with BPD. Lithium is a mood stabilizer and the medication of choice for treating patients with mood disorders, such as BPD. Lithium changes the brain chemistry by modulating dopamine, glutamate, and GABA levels in the brian, which lead to the stabilization of mood. A tool that is used to measure severity of depression as well as thoughts of suicide is called the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). A score of 0 to 4 shows none to minimal depression, 5 to 9 indicates mild depression, 10 to 14 shows moderate depression, 15 to 19 indicates moderately severe depression, and 20 to 27 shows severe depression.
Incorrect answer explanations
A. PHQ-9 score of 2/27
Rationale: A tool that is used to measure severity of depression is called the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). A score of 0 to 4 shows none to minimal depression. This finding does not correlate with BPD.
C. Hydralazine 25 mg
Rationale: Hydralazine is a direct vasodilator medication used to treat hypertension, it is not correlated with BPD
D. Blood pressure 115/74 mm Hg
Rationale: This is a normal blood pressure and not correlated with BPD.
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