NUR 253 EXAM 3 MENTAL HEALTH NURSING – GALEN
COLLEGE OF NURSING COMPREHENSIVE TEST BANK
QUESTIONS COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
1. The nurse is caring for a 20-year-old client who has survived a gang-related
shooting. The client suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
requires education about the condition. Which of the following information
should the nurse provide to the client?
A. A thankful attitude for being alive is common with this condition.
B. This condition occurs when directly experiencing a traumatic event rather than
witnessing the event.
C. Clients who have this condition will revisit the physical place where the trauma
occurred.
D. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the event.
Correct Answer: D. PTSD involves marked physiological reactions to trauma
reminders (e.g., increased heart rate, sweating). A thankful attitude is not a
hallmark; PTSD involves distress. PTSD can occur from witnessing or learning
about trauma, not just direct experience. Revisiting the physical place is not a
required symptom; triggers are varied.
2. The nurse is preparing a care plan for a newly admitted 73-year-old client who
lost their spouse last year and is suffering from depression. After assessing for
suicidal ideation, which of the following interventions is a priority for this client?
A. Teach the client new coping skills.
B. Monitor the client's nutritional intake during admission.
,C. Encourage the client to attend socialization groups.
D. Offer grief counseling services to the client while on unit.
Correct Answer: B. After suicidal ideation, the priority is safety and physiological
needs; monitoring nutritional intake is crucial because depression can lead to
decreased appetite and malnutrition. Teaching coping skills, socialization, and
grief counseling are important but follow physiological stability.
3. The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who has post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). The parents are concerned because the child has stopped
playing with friends and continues to draw pictures of themself as a bad guy.
Which of the following responses is appropriate for the nurse to tell the
parents?
A. "Let's speak with the doctor, your child needs some intense therapy."
B. "Don't worry. This will pass within several months."
C. "This is part of the grieving process and a response to the trauma."
D. "Just sit with them quietly; a child this age needs to deal with these emotions
internally."
Correct Answer: C. Children with PTSD often express trauma through play and art;
drawing as a "bad guy" reflects guilt and is a common response to trauma. Telling
parents this is a normal grief/trauma response is therapeutic. A dismissive or
alarmist approach is inappropriate, and children should not process trauma alone.
4. The nurse working on the mental health unit is caring for a newly admitted
client. The client was in an argument with their spouse. The spouse asked for a
divorce and suddenly the client could not hear anymore. Which of the following
conditions should the nurse identify the client is experiencing?
A. Somatic symptom disorder.
B. Conversion disorder.
C. Fatalistic disorder.
D. Illness anxiety disorder.
,Correct Answer: B. Conversion disorder (functional neurological symptom
disorder) involves neurological symptoms (e.g., blindness, deafness, paralysis) that
are incompatible with medical conditions, often triggered by psychological stress.
Somatic symptom disorder focuses on distress over physical symptoms; illness
anxiety is fear of having an illness.
5. The nurse is caring for a client who was admitted with somatization. The
nurse is identifying potential secondary gains the client may be experiencing.
Which of the following should the nurse consider a secondary gain?
A. Decreased income.
B. Increased attention.
C. Increased pain.
D. Decreased mobility.
Correct Answer: B. Secondary gains are external benefits from illness, such as
increased attention, sympathy, or avoidance of responsibilities. Decreased
income, increased pain, and decreased mobility are negative outcomes or primary
symptoms, not secondary gains.
6. A client with PTSD reports recurrent nightmares and avoids driving because
the accident occurred on a highway. Which intervention should the nurse
prioritize?
A. Encourage the client to drive on highways to desensitize.
B. Teach grounding techniques to manage flashbacks.
C. Advise the client to avoid all triggers permanently.
D. Administer a benzodiazepine before driving.
Correct Answer: B. Grounding techniques help manage flashbacks and
dissociation. Forced exposure (A) is not therapeutic without professional
guidance; complete avoidance (C) reinforces fear; benzodiazepines should not be
used as a primary or routine intervention for driving.
, 7. A client with major depressive disorder states, "I don't see the point in
anything anymore." Which nursing action is most appropriate?
A. Ask the client, "Do you have a plan to harm yourself?"
B. Tell the client, "Think of all the people who care about you."
C. Change the subject to something positive.
D. Say, "You have so much to live for."
Correct Answer: A. Direct assessment of suicidal ideation and plan is priority
when a client expresses hopelessness. Clichés (B, D) and avoidance (C) are non-
therapeutic and do not address safety.
8. A nurse is educating a client with illness anxiety disorder. Which statement
indicates the client understands the teaching?
A. "I will avoid seeing any doctors so I don't get bad news."
B. "I know my symptoms are real, but I will work on managing my anxiety."
C. "My symptoms are all in my head and not real."
D. "If I ignore my symptoms, they will go away."
Correct Answer: B. This shows acceptance of the disorder while committing to
anxiety management. Avoiding doctors (A) is maladaptive; minimizing symptoms
(C, D) is not realistic or therapeutic.
9. A client with conversion disorder presents with sudden blindness after
witnessing a fire. Which nursing intervention is appropriate?
A. Place objects in the client's path to test vision.
B. Acknowledge the symptom without challenging it.
C. Tell the client the blindness is not real.
D. Refer the client to an ophthalmologist immediately.
Correct Answer: B. Acknowledging the symptom without confrontation maintains
therapeutic rapport and reduces anxiety. Testing (A) or challenging (C) increases
distress; referral to ophthalmology is appropriate but not immediate if conversion
is suspected.
COLLEGE OF NURSING COMPREHENSIVE TEST BANK
QUESTIONS COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
1. The nurse is caring for a 20-year-old client who has survived a gang-related
shooting. The client suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
requires education about the condition. Which of the following information
should the nurse provide to the client?
A. A thankful attitude for being alive is common with this condition.
B. This condition occurs when directly experiencing a traumatic event rather than
witnessing the event.
C. Clients who have this condition will revisit the physical place where the trauma
occurred.
D. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the event.
Correct Answer: D. PTSD involves marked physiological reactions to trauma
reminders (e.g., increased heart rate, sweating). A thankful attitude is not a
hallmark; PTSD involves distress. PTSD can occur from witnessing or learning
about trauma, not just direct experience. Revisiting the physical place is not a
required symptom; triggers are varied.
2. The nurse is preparing a care plan for a newly admitted 73-year-old client who
lost their spouse last year and is suffering from depression. After assessing for
suicidal ideation, which of the following interventions is a priority for this client?
A. Teach the client new coping skills.
B. Monitor the client's nutritional intake during admission.
,C. Encourage the client to attend socialization groups.
D. Offer grief counseling services to the client while on unit.
Correct Answer: B. After suicidal ideation, the priority is safety and physiological
needs; monitoring nutritional intake is crucial because depression can lead to
decreased appetite and malnutrition. Teaching coping skills, socialization, and
grief counseling are important but follow physiological stability.
3. The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who has post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). The parents are concerned because the child has stopped
playing with friends and continues to draw pictures of themself as a bad guy.
Which of the following responses is appropriate for the nurse to tell the
parents?
A. "Let's speak with the doctor, your child needs some intense therapy."
B. "Don't worry. This will pass within several months."
C. "This is part of the grieving process and a response to the trauma."
D. "Just sit with them quietly; a child this age needs to deal with these emotions
internally."
Correct Answer: C. Children with PTSD often express trauma through play and art;
drawing as a "bad guy" reflects guilt and is a common response to trauma. Telling
parents this is a normal grief/trauma response is therapeutic. A dismissive or
alarmist approach is inappropriate, and children should not process trauma alone.
4. The nurse working on the mental health unit is caring for a newly admitted
client. The client was in an argument with their spouse. The spouse asked for a
divorce and suddenly the client could not hear anymore. Which of the following
conditions should the nurse identify the client is experiencing?
A. Somatic symptom disorder.
B. Conversion disorder.
C. Fatalistic disorder.
D. Illness anxiety disorder.
,Correct Answer: B. Conversion disorder (functional neurological symptom
disorder) involves neurological symptoms (e.g., blindness, deafness, paralysis) that
are incompatible with medical conditions, often triggered by psychological stress.
Somatic symptom disorder focuses on distress over physical symptoms; illness
anxiety is fear of having an illness.
5. The nurse is caring for a client who was admitted with somatization. The
nurse is identifying potential secondary gains the client may be experiencing.
Which of the following should the nurse consider a secondary gain?
A. Decreased income.
B. Increased attention.
C. Increased pain.
D. Decreased mobility.
Correct Answer: B. Secondary gains are external benefits from illness, such as
increased attention, sympathy, or avoidance of responsibilities. Decreased
income, increased pain, and decreased mobility are negative outcomes or primary
symptoms, not secondary gains.
6. A client with PTSD reports recurrent nightmares and avoids driving because
the accident occurred on a highway. Which intervention should the nurse
prioritize?
A. Encourage the client to drive on highways to desensitize.
B. Teach grounding techniques to manage flashbacks.
C. Advise the client to avoid all triggers permanently.
D. Administer a benzodiazepine before driving.
Correct Answer: B. Grounding techniques help manage flashbacks and
dissociation. Forced exposure (A) is not therapeutic without professional
guidance; complete avoidance (C) reinforces fear; benzodiazepines should not be
used as a primary or routine intervention for driving.
, 7. A client with major depressive disorder states, "I don't see the point in
anything anymore." Which nursing action is most appropriate?
A. Ask the client, "Do you have a plan to harm yourself?"
B. Tell the client, "Think of all the people who care about you."
C. Change the subject to something positive.
D. Say, "You have so much to live for."
Correct Answer: A. Direct assessment of suicidal ideation and plan is priority
when a client expresses hopelessness. Clichés (B, D) and avoidance (C) are non-
therapeutic and do not address safety.
8. A nurse is educating a client with illness anxiety disorder. Which statement
indicates the client understands the teaching?
A. "I will avoid seeing any doctors so I don't get bad news."
B. "I know my symptoms are real, but I will work on managing my anxiety."
C. "My symptoms are all in my head and not real."
D. "If I ignore my symptoms, they will go away."
Correct Answer: B. This shows acceptance of the disorder while committing to
anxiety management. Avoiding doctors (A) is maladaptive; minimizing symptoms
(C, D) is not realistic or therapeutic.
9. A client with conversion disorder presents with sudden blindness after
witnessing a fire. Which nursing intervention is appropriate?
A. Place objects in the client's path to test vision.
B. Acknowledge the symptom without challenging it.
C. Tell the client the blindness is not real.
D. Refer the client to an ophthalmologist immediately.
Correct Answer: B. Acknowledging the symptom without confrontation maintains
therapeutic rapport and reduces anxiety. Testing (A) or challenging (C) increases
distress; referral to ophthalmology is appropriate but not immediate if conversion
is suspected.
