Question

A nurse in a mental health facility is caring for a client who has schizophrenia. Which of the following findings places the client at the greatest risk for self directed injury or injuring others

a.Inability to communicate with othersA client who has schizophrenia can have an impaired ability to communicate with others. However, this does not place the client at greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others.
b.Feelings of absence of self-worthA client who has schizophrenia can experience feeling an absence of self-worth. However, this does not place the client at greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others.
c.Lack of motivation to perform daily tasksA client who has schizophrenia can experience a lack of motivation to perform daily tasks. However, it does not place the client at greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others.
d.Command hallucinationsMY ANSWERA client who has schizophrenia and is experiencing command hallucinations can hear voices telling them to hurt themselves or others. Therefore, a client who is experiencing command hallucinations is at the greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others.

Answer 1

The presence of command hallucinations in individuals with schizophrenia represents the highest risk for self-directed harm or harm to others, as these hallucinations can involve voices instructing the individual to engage in harmful actions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others in a client with schizophrenia is the presence of command hallucinations. These hallucinations involve hearing voices that direct the individual to perform harmful actions either towards themselves or others. Due to the direct nature of these commands and the inability of the client to distinguish these voices from reality, this symptom substantially increases the risk of dangerous behaviors.

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder where individuals struggle with various symptoms, including disorganized thinking, delusions, and a range of other positive and negative symptoms. It is primarily treated with antipsychotic medications which aim to manage symptoms by affecting neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. However, schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment and management, as there is no cure.