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PSYCH - EXAM 1: NCLEX EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS EXAM 2026 LATEST EDITION SOLVED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
The nurse is assigned to the care of a patient admitted to the mental health
unit. Which behaviors by the nurse reflect the essential principles of
therapeutic relationship? Select all that apply.
a. Empowering the patient to make decisions regarding care
b. Looking beyond the illness when interacting with the patient
c. Trying to see things from the unique perspective of the patient
d. Sharing personal insights that are relevant to the patient's problems
e. Ensuring that all physical and emotional needs are met by the nurse
A, B, C
a. Empowering the patient to make decisions regarding care
b. Looking beyond the illness when interacting with the patient
c. Trying to see things from the unique perspective of the patient
In the context of the therapeutic relationship, nurses strive to empathize with the
patient and fully value the perspective of the patient, whether or not it differs from
that of the nurse. Nurses also view patients holistically, realizing that they are more
than just the sum of the symptoms they present with. Interactions are based on the
growth of the patient and interventions should promote as much autonomy and
independence as the patient is capable of. Sharing personal interests violates the
boundaries of the therapeutic relationship and shifts the focus of the relationship
back to the nurse. Acting to meet every patient need is generally inappropriate;
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nurses should act to promote growth and independence by encouraging patients and
families to meet their own needs whenever possible.
The nurse is working with a patient who is struggling to over- come a serious
mental illness. The patient begins crying after learning that her family will no
longer be visiting. Which response by the nurse demonstrates empathy?
A. "I am not sure what I would do if I were in your shoes."
B. "You must be wondering why they are acting this way."
C. "My sense is that this experience has been very painful for you."
D. "I understand because I went through something similar one time."
C. "My sense is that this experience has been very painful for you."
Rationale: The nurse using empathy separates the nurse's own feelings,
experiences, and reactions and fully engages with the patient an attempt to get a
sense of how the patient is feeling at that moment in time. In this instance, the nurse
must be present to what the patient is conveying and act to validate the observation
of distress, without conditions or judgment. Options a and d shift focus back to the
nurse and fail to recognize the patient's experience as unique. Option b does not
validate the patient's verbal or nonverbal messages, but instead makes an
assumption that is likely to be based on the own nurse's perspectives.
The nurse is acting as a preceptor to a recent nurse graduate who wants to
obtain a job on the mental health unit. The new nurse has been struggling to
differentiate between social and therapeutic interactions because so many of
the patients are around his own age. Which evaluation finding indicates that
nurse is acting in accordance with appropriate professional boundaries?
Select all that apply.
A. The nurse sets limits on inappropriate behaviors.
B. The nurse uses colloquial language to foster trust.
C. The nurse brings in clothing for a homeless patient.
D. The nurse offers a video collection for a group movie night.
E. The nurse lets a patient know when their time together will end.
A, D, E
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A. The nurse sets limits on inappropriate behaviors.
D. The nurse offers a video collection for a group movie night.
E. The nurse lets a patient know when their time together will end.
New nurses frequently fall back on relationship skills that have been learned in the
context of families and or friendships. When nurses set limits on behaviors they are
acting in the role of a counselor, educator and caretaker. Nurses act to meet the
needs of all patients, and bringing in movies is an example of sharing a resource that
all patients can use. When the nurse maintains the time frames associated with
professional and not personal relationships the nurse is upholding boundaries
appropriate to nursing role and acting in a manner that is consistent with professional
and ethical standards. The use of colloquial language conveys a sense of familiarity
that is not consistent with a professional relationship. Bringing in clothing for an
individual patient may be construed as "special treatment," and demonstrates an
inability to differentiate between professional and personal relationships.
The nurse is working with a patient who presents in the outpa- tient setting for
the treatment of situational depression. The patient has begun to try out new
coping strategies and has taken advantage of a support group the nurse
recommended. The nurse recognizes that the patient has entered which phase
of therapeutic nurse-patient relationship?
A. Orientation
B. Working
C. Exploitation
D. Resolution
C. Exploitation
During the exploitation phase, the patient begins to make use of the resources and
tools that have been offered. The orientation phase consists gaining an
understanding of the goals and needs for care. The working phase consists of initial
engagement in treatment. The resolution phase consists of reviewing progress and
terminating the relationship.
The nurse is working with the patient admitted to the mental health unit. The
nurse learns that the patient has a history of exposure to trauma that that the
PSYCH - EXAM 1: NCLEX EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS EXAM 2026 LATEST EDITION SOLVED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
The nurse is assigned to the care of a patient admitted to the mental health
unit. Which behaviors by the nurse reflect the essential principles of
therapeutic relationship? Select all that apply.
a. Empowering the patient to make decisions regarding care
b. Looking beyond the illness when interacting with the patient
c. Trying to see things from the unique perspective of the patient
d. Sharing personal insights that are relevant to the patient's problems
e. Ensuring that all physical and emotional needs are met by the nurse
A, B, C
a. Empowering the patient to make decisions regarding care
b. Looking beyond the illness when interacting with the patient
c. Trying to see things from the unique perspective of the patient
In the context of the therapeutic relationship, nurses strive to empathize with the
patient and fully value the perspective of the patient, whether or not it differs from
that of the nurse. Nurses also view patients holistically, realizing that they are more
than just the sum of the symptoms they present with. Interactions are based on the
growth of the patient and interventions should promote as much autonomy and
independence as the patient is capable of. Sharing personal interests violates the
boundaries of the therapeutic relationship and shifts the focus of the relationship
back to the nurse. Acting to meet every patient need is generally inappropriate;
, Page 2 of 25
nurses should act to promote growth and independence by encouraging patients and
families to meet their own needs whenever possible.
The nurse is working with a patient who is struggling to over- come a serious
mental illness. The patient begins crying after learning that her family will no
longer be visiting. Which response by the nurse demonstrates empathy?
A. "I am not sure what I would do if I were in your shoes."
B. "You must be wondering why they are acting this way."
C. "My sense is that this experience has been very painful for you."
D. "I understand because I went through something similar one time."
C. "My sense is that this experience has been very painful for you."
Rationale: The nurse using empathy separates the nurse's own feelings,
experiences, and reactions and fully engages with the patient an attempt to get a
sense of how the patient is feeling at that moment in time. In this instance, the nurse
must be present to what the patient is conveying and act to validate the observation
of distress, without conditions or judgment. Options a and d shift focus back to the
nurse and fail to recognize the patient's experience as unique. Option b does not
validate the patient's verbal or nonverbal messages, but instead makes an
assumption that is likely to be based on the own nurse's perspectives.
The nurse is acting as a preceptor to a recent nurse graduate who wants to
obtain a job on the mental health unit. The new nurse has been struggling to
differentiate between social and therapeutic interactions because so many of
the patients are around his own age. Which evaluation finding indicates that
nurse is acting in accordance with appropriate professional boundaries?
Select all that apply.
A. The nurse sets limits on inappropriate behaviors.
B. The nurse uses colloquial language to foster trust.
C. The nurse brings in clothing for a homeless patient.
D. The nurse offers a video collection for a group movie night.
E. The nurse lets a patient know when their time together will end.
A, D, E
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A. The nurse sets limits on inappropriate behaviors.
D. The nurse offers a video collection for a group movie night.
E. The nurse lets a patient know when their time together will end.
New nurses frequently fall back on relationship skills that have been learned in the
context of families and or friendships. When nurses set limits on behaviors they are
acting in the role of a counselor, educator and caretaker. Nurses act to meet the
needs of all patients, and bringing in movies is an example of sharing a resource that
all patients can use. When the nurse maintains the time frames associated with
professional and not personal relationships the nurse is upholding boundaries
appropriate to nursing role and acting in a manner that is consistent with professional
and ethical standards. The use of colloquial language conveys a sense of familiarity
that is not consistent with a professional relationship. Bringing in clothing for an
individual patient may be construed as "special treatment," and demonstrates an
inability to differentiate between professional and personal relationships.
The nurse is working with a patient who presents in the outpa- tient setting for
the treatment of situational depression. The patient has begun to try out new
coping strategies and has taken advantage of a support group the nurse
recommended. The nurse recognizes that the patient has entered which phase
of therapeutic nurse-patient relationship?
A. Orientation
B. Working
C. Exploitation
D. Resolution
C. Exploitation
During the exploitation phase, the patient begins to make use of the resources and
tools that have been offered. The orientation phase consists gaining an
understanding of the goals and needs for care. The working phase consists of initial
engagement in treatment. The resolution phase consists of reviewing progress and
terminating the relationship.
The nurse is working with the patient admitted to the mental health unit. The
nurse learns that the patient has a history of exposure to trauma that that the
