A Physician Orders Methylphenidate (Ritalin)for a Child Diagnosed with Attention

question 19

Multiple Choice

A physician orders methylphenidate (Ritalin) for a child diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .Which information about this medication should the nurse provide to the parents?

• A) If one dose of Ritalin is missed, double the next dose.
• B) Administer Ritalin to the child after breakfast.
• C) Administer Ritalin to the child just prior to bedtime.
• D) A side effect of Ritalin is decreased ability to learn.

---

Definitions:

Action Potentials

Electrical impulses that are the means of communication and signal transmission within the nervous system, particularly among neurons.

Excitatory Postsynaptic

Pertaining to the process in which a neurotransmitter increases the likelihood of an action potential firing in the postsynaptic neuron.

Electric Potential

The amount of electric potential energy per unit charge at a point in a field, representing the force that would be exerted on a positive test charge placed at that point.

Neuron

A nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system, responsible for transmitting information throughout the body via electrical and chemical signals.