D E R O T C O R P · H TL A E H L A T N E M
★ATI★ ATI Nursing Education
NURSING Assessment Technologies Institute
EST. 1998
A D V A N C I N G T H E S C I E N C E O F N U R S I N G E D U C AT I O N
ATI Mental Health — Proctored Examination
CO M P R E H E N S I V E M E N TA L H E A LT H N U RS I N G A SS E SS M E N T
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education EXAM TYPE Proctored Examination
SUBJECT Mental Health Nursing ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Mental Health Proctored Exam — TOTAL QUESTIONS 72 Questions
Solved
FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the INCLUDES Dosage Calculation · Select All
Single Best Answer That Apply
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question unless otherwise specified.
▸ Covers personality disorders, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, substance use, eating
disorders, neurocognitive disorders, and crisis intervention.
▸ Includes pharmacology, therapeutic communication, defense mechanisms, and legal/ethical principles.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
, MENTAL HEALTH NURSING — COMPREHENSIVE
Questions 1 – 72
PROCTORED EXAMINATION
1. A nurse is planning overall strategies to address problems for a client who has borderline
personality disorder. Which strategy is the priority?
A. Discuss appropriate use of assertive behavior
B. Encourage the client to attend weekly support groups
C. Assist the client to maintain awareness of thoughts and feelings
D. Implement measures to prevent intentional self-inflicted injury
CORRECT ANSWER D — Implement measures to prevent intentional self-inflicted injury
RATIONALE Safety is the priority. Borderline personality disorder carries a high risk of self-
harm and suicidal behavior. Maslow's hierarchy and the nursing process dictate
that physiological and safety needs take precedence over psychosocial
interventions.
2. A nurse is admitting a client with generalized anxiety disorder. Which action should the
nurse take first?
A. Provide the client with a quiet environment
B. Determine how the client handles stress
C. Teach the client guided imagery
D. Ask the client to identify her strengths
CORRECT ANSWER A — Provide the client with a quiet environment
RATIONALE Reducing environmental stimuli is the priority for an anxious client. A quiet
environment decreases sensory overload and helps prevent escalation of anxiety.
Assessment and teaching follow after the client is stabilized.
,3. A nurse is interviewing a client experiencing mania. Which finding should the nurse
report to the provider?
A. Hasn't bathed in 2 days
B. Reports eating twice in the past two weeks
C. Makes inappropriate sexual comments
D. Speaks in rhyming sentences
CORRECT ANSWER B — Reports eating twice in the past two weeks
RATIONALE Eating only twice in two weeks indicates severe nutritional deficit and potential
physiological instability — the priority concern. Manic clients often neglect
nutrition due to hyperactivity, and this level of intake requires immediate medical
attention.
4. A nurse is planning care for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Which
intervention should the nurse include?
A. Validation therapy
B. Thought stopping
C. Operant conditioning
D. Reality orientation therapy
CORRECT ANSWER B — Thought stopping
RATIONALE Thought stopping is a CBT technique where the client learns to interrupt
obsessive thoughts. For OCD, the client says "Stop" (internally or externally) when
obsessive thoughts arise, then redirects to a neutral or positive thought.
, 5. A nurse is caring for a client with bipolar disorder in a manic episode. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the client to join group activities
B. Dim the lights in the client's room
C. Provide detailed explanations to the client
D. Administer methylphenidate
CORRECT ANSWER B — Dim the lights in the client's room
RATIONALE Reducing environmental stimulation is essential during mania. Dim lighting, low
noise, and minimized interactions help prevent escalation. Group activities and
detailed explanations overstimulate the client. Methylphenidate is
contraindicated.
6. A nurse is leading a crisis intervention group for adolescents who witnessed a
classmate's suicide. Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Initiate referrals
B. Review community resources
C. Identify prior coping skills
D. Discuss importance of confidentiality
CORRECT ANSWER C — Identify prior coping skills
RATIONALE In crisis intervention, the first step after ensuring safety is assessment —
identifying the client's previous coping mechanisms. This guides the
development of an effective crisis plan. Referrals and resources follow
assessment.
★ATI★ ATI Nursing Education
NURSING Assessment Technologies Institute
EST. 1998
A D V A N C I N G T H E S C I E N C E O F N U R S I N G E D U C AT I O N
ATI Mental Health — Proctored Examination
CO M P R E H E N S I V E M E N TA L H E A LT H N U RS I N G A SS E SS M E N T
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education EXAM TYPE Proctored Examination
SUBJECT Mental Health Nursing ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Mental Health Proctored Exam — TOTAL QUESTIONS 72 Questions
Solved
FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the INCLUDES Dosage Calculation · Select All
Single Best Answer That Apply
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question unless otherwise specified.
▸ Covers personality disorders, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, substance use, eating
disorders, neurocognitive disorders, and crisis intervention.
▸ Includes pharmacology, therapeutic communication, defense mechanisms, and legal/ethical principles.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
, MENTAL HEALTH NURSING — COMPREHENSIVE
Questions 1 – 72
PROCTORED EXAMINATION
1. A nurse is planning overall strategies to address problems for a client who has borderline
personality disorder. Which strategy is the priority?
A. Discuss appropriate use of assertive behavior
B. Encourage the client to attend weekly support groups
C. Assist the client to maintain awareness of thoughts and feelings
D. Implement measures to prevent intentional self-inflicted injury
CORRECT ANSWER D — Implement measures to prevent intentional self-inflicted injury
RATIONALE Safety is the priority. Borderline personality disorder carries a high risk of self-
harm and suicidal behavior. Maslow's hierarchy and the nursing process dictate
that physiological and safety needs take precedence over psychosocial
interventions.
2. A nurse is admitting a client with generalized anxiety disorder. Which action should the
nurse take first?
A. Provide the client with a quiet environment
B. Determine how the client handles stress
C. Teach the client guided imagery
D. Ask the client to identify her strengths
CORRECT ANSWER A — Provide the client with a quiet environment
RATIONALE Reducing environmental stimuli is the priority for an anxious client. A quiet
environment decreases sensory overload and helps prevent escalation of anxiety.
Assessment and teaching follow after the client is stabilized.
,3. A nurse is interviewing a client experiencing mania. Which finding should the nurse
report to the provider?
A. Hasn't bathed in 2 days
B. Reports eating twice in the past two weeks
C. Makes inappropriate sexual comments
D. Speaks in rhyming sentences
CORRECT ANSWER B — Reports eating twice in the past two weeks
RATIONALE Eating only twice in two weeks indicates severe nutritional deficit and potential
physiological instability — the priority concern. Manic clients often neglect
nutrition due to hyperactivity, and this level of intake requires immediate medical
attention.
4. A nurse is planning care for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Which
intervention should the nurse include?
A. Validation therapy
B. Thought stopping
C. Operant conditioning
D. Reality orientation therapy
CORRECT ANSWER B — Thought stopping
RATIONALE Thought stopping is a CBT technique where the client learns to interrupt
obsessive thoughts. For OCD, the client says "Stop" (internally or externally) when
obsessive thoughts arise, then redirects to a neutral or positive thought.
, 5. A nurse is caring for a client with bipolar disorder in a manic episode. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the client to join group activities
B. Dim the lights in the client's room
C. Provide detailed explanations to the client
D. Administer methylphenidate
CORRECT ANSWER B — Dim the lights in the client's room
RATIONALE Reducing environmental stimulation is essential during mania. Dim lighting, low
noise, and minimized interactions help prevent escalation. Group activities and
detailed explanations overstimulate the client. Methylphenidate is
contraindicated.
6. A nurse is leading a crisis intervention group for adolescents who witnessed a
classmate's suicide. Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Initiate referrals
B. Review community resources
C. Identify prior coping skills
D. Discuss importance of confidentiality
CORRECT ANSWER C — Identify prior coping skills
RATIONALE In crisis intervention, the first step after ensuring safety is assessment —
identifying the client's previous coping mechanisms. This guides the
development of an effective crisis plan. Referrals and resources follow
assessment.
