ATI Mental Health Proctored Exam Questions,
Answers and Rationales 2026 – Very
Comprehensive | Graded A+
1. A nurse is assisting with the planning of a therapeutic support group for
individuals who have bulimia nervosa. Which of the following tasks should
the nurse include during the orientation phase of group development?
A. determine the rules that the group will follow
B. address disagreements among group members
C. help clients work through the grief response
D. transition from the role of leader to facilitator
determine the rules that the group will follow
*during the orientation phase of group development, the nurse should
determine the rules that apply to the group and ensure that all members
understand these rules. Examples of rules to be discussed include
confidentiality and meeting times.
2. A nurse is providing support for a client who is grieving the loss of her
mother who died from Alzeimer's disease. Which of the following statements
should the nurse offer?
A. "I know how you must be feeling. I recently lost my father."
B. "Dealing with your mother's death must be difficult for you."
C. "Knowing your mother is in a better place provides you with some comfort."
D. "I want you to let me know what I can do to help you cope with your
mother's death."
"Dealing with your mother's death must be difficult for you."
*The nurse should use therapeutic communication when supporting a client
who is grieving. This statement keeps the focus of the conversation on the
client by acknowledging her grief and encourages further communication."
3. A nurse in the emergency room is collecting data from a client who has
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, heroin intoxication. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Seizure activity
B. Respiratory depression
C. Hypersensitivity to pain
D. Increased mental alertness
Respiratory depression
*Heroin is an opioid; therefore, the nurse should expect this client who has
heroin intoxication to exhibit respiratory depression.
4. A nurse on a mental health unit is caring for a client who is displaying signs
of anger. Which of the following pieces of information about the client is
the strongest indicator that the client might become aggressive?
A. The client has marginal coping skills
B. The client has a history of violence
C. The client feels powerless after being hospitalized
D. The client blames others for her problems
The client has a history of violence
*The client's history of violence is the most important indicator that this
client might become violent; therefore, this is the strongest indicator of
potential aggressiveness.
5. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the caregiver of a client who has
dementia. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in
the teaching?
A. Offer the client a list of activities to choose from
B. Offer finger foods to the client
C. Discourage naps throughout the day
D. Turn on the television when the client is in the room
Offer finger foods to the client
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, *The caregiver should offer finger foods that the client can eat without
sitting down. Clients who have dementia often like to wander and walk off
nervous energy, which can decrease anxiety and calm the client.
6. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client with bipolar disorder
who has acute mania. Which of the following interventions should the nurse
recommend including in the plan?
A. Provide the client with a low-calorie, low-fat diet
B. Encourage the client to have frequent rest periods
C. Escort the client to daily group therapy
D. Limit the client's intake of caffeinated beverages to 12 oz per day
Encourage the client to have frequent rest periods
*The nurse should recommend encouraging frequent rest periods
throughout the day to decrease the client's risk of exhaustion from the
constant activity associated with acute mania.
7. A nurse is reviewing the plan of care for a client who has bipolar disorder.
Which of the following is an effect of using cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT) for a client who has bipolar disorder?
A. Prevents the need for mood-stabilizing medications
B. Helps the client deal with distorted thought processes
C. Aids in communication among family members
D. Replaces the need for lifestyle interventions
Helps the client deal with distorted thought processes
*CBT assists the client with recognizing distorted thought processes that are
maladaptive with regards to recovery. When experiencing mania, the client
tends to view the future unrealistically as highly favorable. CBT assists the
client in recognizing and challenging such unrealistic or "automatic"
thoughts and can help the client and the health care team recognize early
trends toward mania
8. A nurse is caring for a client in a mental health facility and overhears the
client discussing plans to harm her father-in-law physically when she is
3|Page
, discharged. Which of the following interventions should the nurse take?
A. Ask the client to sign a contract agreeing not to harm others
B. Notify the provider of the client's threat
C. Keep the client's discussion confidential
D. Place the client in individual observation
Notify the provider of the client's threat
*It is the nurse's duty to notify the provider of the client's threat. It will then
be the provider's responsibility to warn the the intended victim or the police
of the client's threat
9. A nurse is preparing to meet with a client who has borderline personality
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take during
the working phase of the therapeutic relationship?
A. Introduce the concept of client confidentiality
B. Establish goals with the client
C. Define the roles of the nurse and the client
D. Facilitate change in the client's behavior
Facilitate change in the client's behavior
*The nurse should facilitate change in the client's behavior during the
working phase of the therapeutic relationship.
10. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has suicidal
ideation and is being transferred to the mental health unit. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse recommend?
A. Search the client and his belongings upon arrival
B. Assign the client to a private room near the nurse's station
C. Instruct assistive personnel to check on the client every 15 m in
D. Keep the door to the client's room closed
Search the client and his belongings upon arrival
*The nurse should plan to search the client and all of his belongings upon
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Answers and Rationales 2026 – Very
Comprehensive | Graded A+
1. A nurse is assisting with the planning of a therapeutic support group for
individuals who have bulimia nervosa. Which of the following tasks should
the nurse include during the orientation phase of group development?
A. determine the rules that the group will follow
B. address disagreements among group members
C. help clients work through the grief response
D. transition from the role of leader to facilitator
determine the rules that the group will follow
*during the orientation phase of group development, the nurse should
determine the rules that apply to the group and ensure that all members
understand these rules. Examples of rules to be discussed include
confidentiality and meeting times.
2. A nurse is providing support for a client who is grieving the loss of her
mother who died from Alzeimer's disease. Which of the following statements
should the nurse offer?
A. "I know how you must be feeling. I recently lost my father."
B. "Dealing with your mother's death must be difficult for you."
C. "Knowing your mother is in a better place provides you with some comfort."
D. "I want you to let me know what I can do to help you cope with your
mother's death."
"Dealing with your mother's death must be difficult for you."
*The nurse should use therapeutic communication when supporting a client
who is grieving. This statement keeps the focus of the conversation on the
client by acknowledging her grief and encourages further communication."
3. A nurse in the emergency room is collecting data from a client who has
1|Page
, heroin intoxication. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Seizure activity
B. Respiratory depression
C. Hypersensitivity to pain
D. Increased mental alertness
Respiratory depression
*Heroin is an opioid; therefore, the nurse should expect this client who has
heroin intoxication to exhibit respiratory depression.
4. A nurse on a mental health unit is caring for a client who is displaying signs
of anger. Which of the following pieces of information about the client is
the strongest indicator that the client might become aggressive?
A. The client has marginal coping skills
B. The client has a history of violence
C. The client feels powerless after being hospitalized
D. The client blames others for her problems
The client has a history of violence
*The client's history of violence is the most important indicator that this
client might become violent; therefore, this is the strongest indicator of
potential aggressiveness.
5. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the caregiver of a client who has
dementia. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in
the teaching?
A. Offer the client a list of activities to choose from
B. Offer finger foods to the client
C. Discourage naps throughout the day
D. Turn on the television when the client is in the room
Offer finger foods to the client
2|Page
, *The caregiver should offer finger foods that the client can eat without
sitting down. Clients who have dementia often like to wander and walk off
nervous energy, which can decrease anxiety and calm the client.
6. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client with bipolar disorder
who has acute mania. Which of the following interventions should the nurse
recommend including in the plan?
A. Provide the client with a low-calorie, low-fat diet
B. Encourage the client to have frequent rest periods
C. Escort the client to daily group therapy
D. Limit the client's intake of caffeinated beverages to 12 oz per day
Encourage the client to have frequent rest periods
*The nurse should recommend encouraging frequent rest periods
throughout the day to decrease the client's risk of exhaustion from the
constant activity associated with acute mania.
7. A nurse is reviewing the plan of care for a client who has bipolar disorder.
Which of the following is an effect of using cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT) for a client who has bipolar disorder?
A. Prevents the need for mood-stabilizing medications
B. Helps the client deal with distorted thought processes
C. Aids in communication among family members
D. Replaces the need for lifestyle interventions
Helps the client deal with distorted thought processes
*CBT assists the client with recognizing distorted thought processes that are
maladaptive with regards to recovery. When experiencing mania, the client
tends to view the future unrealistically as highly favorable. CBT assists the
client in recognizing and challenging such unrealistic or "automatic"
thoughts and can help the client and the health care team recognize early
trends toward mania
8. A nurse is caring for a client in a mental health facility and overhears the
client discussing plans to harm her father-in-law physically when she is
3|Page
, discharged. Which of the following interventions should the nurse take?
A. Ask the client to sign a contract agreeing not to harm others
B. Notify the provider of the client's threat
C. Keep the client's discussion confidential
D. Place the client in individual observation
Notify the provider of the client's threat
*It is the nurse's duty to notify the provider of the client's threat. It will then
be the provider's responsibility to warn the the intended victim or the police
of the client's threat
9. A nurse is preparing to meet with a client who has borderline personality
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take during
the working phase of the therapeutic relationship?
A. Introduce the concept of client confidentiality
B. Establish goals with the client
C. Define the roles of the nurse and the client
D. Facilitate change in the client's behavior
Facilitate change in the client's behavior
*The nurse should facilitate change in the client's behavior during the
working phase of the therapeutic relationship.
10. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has suicidal
ideation and is being transferred to the mental health unit. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse recommend?
A. Search the client and his belongings upon arrival
B. Assign the client to a private room near the nurse's station
C. Instruct assistive personnel to check on the client every 15 m in
D. Keep the door to the client's room closed
Search the client and his belongings upon arrival
*The nurse should plan to search the client and all of his belongings upon
4|Page
