Comprehensive mental health exams typically consist of 75 questions designed to test
knowledge across core domains like therapeutic communication, mood disorders,
schizophrenia, and pharmacological interventions.
Core Topics and Sample Question Descriptions
Practice exams for NCLEX Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing often include the
following categories:
• Therapeutic Communication: Questions often focus on identifying the best
response to a delusional or agitated patient. A priority is typically focusing on
emotional content rather than the delusion itself.
• Safety and Suicide Prevention: Priority is given to assessing suicide risk directly
by asking about thoughts and plans.
• Psychopharmacology: Exam items frequently cover side effects, such as seizures
as an adverse effect of Flumazenil or managing restlessness (akathisia) from
antipsychotics.
• Personality and Mood Disorders: Questions test the ability to recognize
symptoms of bipolar disorder (e.g., flight of ideas) or defense mechanisms like denial.
• Nursing Interventions: Scenarios might include care for eating disorders, such as
staying with a client for an hour after meals to prevent purging.
Quiz_________________?
"Are you ever alone when you hear these voices?" -
Answer✅
A 65-year-old female complains to the nurse that recently she has been hearing voices.
What question should the nurse ask this client first?
1
, A. "Do you have problems with hallucinations?"
B. "Are you ever alone when you hear the voices?"
C. "Has anyone in your family had hearing problems?"
D. "Do you see things that others cannot see?"
Quiz_________________?
"Black-out" after one drink last night on a date -
Answer✅
The nurse is taking a history for a female client who is requesting a routine female exam.
Which assessment finding requires follow-up?
A. Menstruation onset at age 9
B. Contraceptive method include condoms only
C. Menstrual cycle occurs everyday 35 days.
D. Black-out after one drink last night on a date
Quiz_________________?
"Clara Barton started the American Red Cross." -
Answer✅
The nurse is leading a "current events group" with chronic psychiatric clients. One group
member states, " Clara Barton was my nurse during my last hospitalization. She was very
mean nurse and wasn't nice to me." Which response would be best for the nurse to make?
A. "Clara Barton was not your nurse."
B. "What did she do to you that was so mean?"
C. "I didn't know that Clara Barton was a nurse."
D. "Clara Barton started the American Red Cross."
2
, Quiz_________________?
"How can I help you?" -
Answer✅
A client who has been admitted to the psychiatric unit tells the nurse, "My problem are so
bad that no one can help me." Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A. "How can I help?"
B. "Things probably aren't as bad as they seem right now."
C. "Let's talk about what is right with your life."
D. "I hear how miserable you are, but things will get better soon."
Quiz_________________?
"I will die If my cat dies." -
Answer✅
A 72-year-old female is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of major
depression. Which statement by the client should be of greatest concern to the nurse and
require further assessment?
A. "I will die if my cat dies."
B. "I don't feel like eating this morning."
C. "I just went to my friend's funeral."
D. "Don't yo have more important things to do?"
Quiz_________________?
"I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room." -
Answer✅
3
, The nurse plan to help an 18-year-old female intellectually disable client ambulate the first
postoperative day after an appendectomy. When the nurse tells the client it is time to get
out of bed, the client becomes angry and tells the nurse. "Get out of here I'll get up when
I'm ready!" Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A. "Your healthcare provider has prescribed ambulation on the first day postoperative day."
B. "You must ambulate to avoid complications which could cause more discomfort than
ambulating."
C. "I know how you feel. You're angry about having to ambulate, but this will help you get
well."
D. "I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room."
Quiz_________________?
"Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider." -
Answer✅
A male client admitted to a mental health unit Friday afternoon and is very upset on Sunday
because he has not had the opportunity to talk with the healthcare provider. Which
response is best for the nurse to provide to the client?
A. "Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider."
B. "The healthcare provider should be here on Monday morning."
C. "How can I hep answer your questions?"
D. "What concerns do you have at this time?"
Quiz_________________?
"Let's go back to the activity room and see whats going on in there" -
Answer✅
An 86-year-old female client with Alzheimer's disease is wandering the busy halls of the
extended care facility and asks the nurse, "Where should I stand for the parade?" Which
response is best for the nurse to provide?
4
knowledge across core domains like therapeutic communication, mood disorders,
schizophrenia, and pharmacological interventions.
Core Topics and Sample Question Descriptions
Practice exams for NCLEX Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing often include the
following categories:
• Therapeutic Communication: Questions often focus on identifying the best
response to a delusional or agitated patient. A priority is typically focusing on
emotional content rather than the delusion itself.
• Safety and Suicide Prevention: Priority is given to assessing suicide risk directly
by asking about thoughts and plans.
• Psychopharmacology: Exam items frequently cover side effects, such as seizures
as an adverse effect of Flumazenil or managing restlessness (akathisia) from
antipsychotics.
• Personality and Mood Disorders: Questions test the ability to recognize
symptoms of bipolar disorder (e.g., flight of ideas) or defense mechanisms like denial.
• Nursing Interventions: Scenarios might include care for eating disorders, such as
staying with a client for an hour after meals to prevent purging.
Quiz_________________?
"Are you ever alone when you hear these voices?" -
Answer✅
A 65-year-old female complains to the nurse that recently she has been hearing voices.
What question should the nurse ask this client first?
1
, A. "Do you have problems with hallucinations?"
B. "Are you ever alone when you hear the voices?"
C. "Has anyone in your family had hearing problems?"
D. "Do you see things that others cannot see?"
Quiz_________________?
"Black-out" after one drink last night on a date -
Answer✅
The nurse is taking a history for a female client who is requesting a routine female exam.
Which assessment finding requires follow-up?
A. Menstruation onset at age 9
B. Contraceptive method include condoms only
C. Menstrual cycle occurs everyday 35 days.
D. Black-out after one drink last night on a date
Quiz_________________?
"Clara Barton started the American Red Cross." -
Answer✅
The nurse is leading a "current events group" with chronic psychiatric clients. One group
member states, " Clara Barton was my nurse during my last hospitalization. She was very
mean nurse and wasn't nice to me." Which response would be best for the nurse to make?
A. "Clara Barton was not your nurse."
B. "What did she do to you that was so mean?"
C. "I didn't know that Clara Barton was a nurse."
D. "Clara Barton started the American Red Cross."
2
, Quiz_________________?
"How can I help you?" -
Answer✅
A client who has been admitted to the psychiatric unit tells the nurse, "My problem are so
bad that no one can help me." Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A. "How can I help?"
B. "Things probably aren't as bad as they seem right now."
C. "Let's talk about what is right with your life."
D. "I hear how miserable you are, but things will get better soon."
Quiz_________________?
"I will die If my cat dies." -
Answer✅
A 72-year-old female is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of major
depression. Which statement by the client should be of greatest concern to the nurse and
require further assessment?
A. "I will die if my cat dies."
B. "I don't feel like eating this morning."
C. "I just went to my friend's funeral."
D. "Don't yo have more important things to do?"
Quiz_________________?
"I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room." -
Answer✅
3
, The nurse plan to help an 18-year-old female intellectually disable client ambulate the first
postoperative day after an appendectomy. When the nurse tells the client it is time to get
out of bed, the client becomes angry and tells the nurse. "Get out of here I'll get up when
I'm ready!" Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A. "Your healthcare provider has prescribed ambulation on the first day postoperative day."
B. "You must ambulate to avoid complications which could cause more discomfort than
ambulating."
C. "I know how you feel. You're angry about having to ambulate, but this will help you get
well."
D. "I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room."
Quiz_________________?
"Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider." -
Answer✅
A male client admitted to a mental health unit Friday afternoon and is very upset on Sunday
because he has not had the opportunity to talk with the healthcare provider. Which
response is best for the nurse to provide to the client?
A. "Let me call and leave a message for your healthcare provider."
B. "The healthcare provider should be here on Monday morning."
C. "How can I hep answer your questions?"
D. "What concerns do you have at this time?"
Quiz_________________?
"Let's go back to the activity room and see whats going on in there" -
Answer✅
An 86-year-old female client with Alzheimer's disease is wandering the busy halls of the
extended care facility and asks the nurse, "Where should I stand for the parade?" Which
response is best for the nurse to provide?
4
