NUR253 Exam 1 V3 | NUR 253 Mental
Health Nursing Exam Q&A | Galen College
of Nursing
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who is refusing their medication. Which ethical principle is
the nurse upholding by respecting the patient’s decision?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
C. Justice
D. Veracity
Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy is the right of patients to make their own decisions about their
medical care. This principle emphasizes that the nurse must respect the patient’s choices
even if they disagree. In mental health nursing, this includes the right to refuse treatment
unless there is a court order or emergency.
2. Which communication technique is considered a barrier to therapeutic interaction?
A. Restating
B. Offering self
C. Asking “Why” questions
D. Reflecting
,Answer: C
Rationale: Asking “why” questions often implies criticism and can make the patient feel
defensive. This approach is considered a non-therapeutic communication barrier because it
demands an explanation the patient may not have. Nurses should instead use open-ended
questions that encourage the patient to describe their feelings.
3. A patient is admitted involuntarily to a psychiatric unit. What is the primary legal
requirement for this type of admission?
A. The patient must have a diagnosed personality disorder.
B. The patient must be unable to pay for private care.
C. The patient must agree to follow all unit rules.
D. The patient must pose a danger to themselves or others.
Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary admission is reserved for individuals who meet specific criteria,
most commonly being a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness. This legal
standard ensures that civil liberties are only restricted when safety is at risk. Nurses must
document the behaviors that justify the continued need for involuntary status.
4. Which level of anxiety is characterized by a narrowed perceptual field and the inability to
focus on anything except the immediate problem?
A. Mild anxiety
B. Moderate anxiety
, C. Panic level
D. Severe anxiety
Answer: D
Rationale: Severe anxiety significantly reduces the perceptual field, where the person
focuses on one detail or many scattered details. The individual may experience physical
symptoms like hyperventilation or a sense of dread. Nursing interventions at this level
focus on providing simple directions and ensuring a calm environment.
5. What is the primary goal of milieu therapy in a psychiatric setting?
A. To manipulate the environment so that all interactions are therapeutic.
B. To provide a controlled environment for medication research.
C. To ensure the patient stays in their room for most of the day.
D. To allow patients to make all clinical decisions for the unit.
Answer: A
Rationale: Milieu therapy involves creating a safe, structured environment where every
interaction and activity is designed to be therapeutic. The goal is to help patients learn
adaptive coping skills and social behaviors through group living. Nurses play a key role in
maintaining the safety and structure of this environment.
Health Nursing Exam Q&A | Galen College
of Nursing
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who is refusing their medication. Which ethical principle is
the nurse upholding by respecting the patient’s decision?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
C. Justice
D. Veracity
Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy is the right of patients to make their own decisions about their
medical care. This principle emphasizes that the nurse must respect the patient’s choices
even if they disagree. In mental health nursing, this includes the right to refuse treatment
unless there is a court order or emergency.
2. Which communication technique is considered a barrier to therapeutic interaction?
A. Restating
B. Offering self
C. Asking “Why” questions
D. Reflecting
,Answer: C
Rationale: Asking “why” questions often implies criticism and can make the patient feel
defensive. This approach is considered a non-therapeutic communication barrier because it
demands an explanation the patient may not have. Nurses should instead use open-ended
questions that encourage the patient to describe their feelings.
3. A patient is admitted involuntarily to a psychiatric unit. What is the primary legal
requirement for this type of admission?
A. The patient must have a diagnosed personality disorder.
B. The patient must be unable to pay for private care.
C. The patient must agree to follow all unit rules.
D. The patient must pose a danger to themselves or others.
Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary admission is reserved for individuals who meet specific criteria,
most commonly being a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness. This legal
standard ensures that civil liberties are only restricted when safety is at risk. Nurses must
document the behaviors that justify the continued need for involuntary status.
4. Which level of anxiety is characterized by a narrowed perceptual field and the inability to
focus on anything except the immediate problem?
A. Mild anxiety
B. Moderate anxiety
, C. Panic level
D. Severe anxiety
Answer: D
Rationale: Severe anxiety significantly reduces the perceptual field, where the person
focuses on one detail or many scattered details. The individual may experience physical
symptoms like hyperventilation or a sense of dread. Nursing interventions at this level
focus on providing simple directions and ensuring a calm environment.
5. What is the primary goal of milieu therapy in a psychiatric setting?
A. To manipulate the environment so that all interactions are therapeutic.
B. To provide a controlled environment for medication research.
C. To ensure the patient stays in their room for most of the day.
D. To allow patients to make all clinical decisions for the unit.
Answer: A
Rationale: Milieu therapy involves creating a safe, structured environment where every
interaction and activity is designed to be therapeutic. The goal is to help patients learn
adaptive coping skills and social behaviors through group living. Nurses play a key role in
maintaining the safety and structure of this environment.
