Question

During the initial intake, the nurse asks the patient a series of questions. When asked how long he has been working in real estate, the patient responds by saying, "I think 5 years. My dad was in real estate, but my mom worked in an office. I like offices because they are usually organized and neat. My son is very messy, but he is good at guitar. Do you play any musical instruments?" The nurse should document that the patient:

A) Appears concerned about son.
B) Suffers from manic disorder.
C) Demonstrates flight of ideas.
D) Is able to multitask but struggles with echolalia.

Answer 1

The nurse should note that the patient demonstrates flight of ideas due to his rapid and disjointed shift from one topic to another in his response.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the patient was asked about his employment duration in real estate, he gave a disjointed response that meandered to different topics unrelated to the question. The nurse should document that the patient demonstrates flight of ideas. This is because his conversation rapidly shifted from one subject to another which is characteristic of flight of ideas, often seen in psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder during a manic phase. The response does not suggest that the patient is able to multitask or has echolalia, nor does it provide sufficient evidence to declare concern for his son or imply a manic disorder without further assessment.