E C I T C A R P H M · I TA
ATI Nursing Education
ATI ★ Mental Health Proctored Practice Examination
★
EST. 1998
HELPING STUDENTS MASTER THE BUSINESS OF LEARNING
ATI Mental Health Proctored Practice Examination
CO M P R E H E N S I V E R E V I E W : D S M - 5 , PSYC H O P H A R M ACO LO G Y, T H E RA P E U T I C
CO M M U N I C AT I O N & C R I S I S I N T E R V E N T I O N
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education PROGRAM Registered Nursing (RN)
EXAM Mental Health Proctored Practice ACADEMIC YEAR
Examination
EXAM TYPE Practice Examination — Verified TOTAL QUESTIONS 138 Questions
Answers
CONTENT AREAS DSM-5, Pharmacology, FORMAT Multiple Choice / Select All That
Communication, Crisis, Violence, Apply
Grief
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer or all that apply as indicated.
▸ Topics: Mental status exam, DSM-5, therapeutic communication, defense mechanisms, anxiety
disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, substance use, eating disorders,
crisis intervention, violence, grief.
▸ All content aligns with ATI Mental Health Proctored Examination blueprint.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
SECTION I — MENTAL HEALTH PROCTORED PRACTICE
Questions 1 – 138
EXAMINATION
,1. A charge nurse is discussing mental status exams with a newly licensed nurse. Which
statements indicate understanding? (Select all that apply)
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by sevens."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To assess mood, I should observe the client's physical appearance."
CORRECT ANSWER A, B, C
RATIONALE Serial sevens tests attention/concentration (cognitive). Affect is observed through
facial expression. Writing a sentence assesses language. Mood is SUBJECTIVE
(client's reported feeling), not assessed by appearance. Appearance is a separate
MSE component.
2. A nurse is planning care for a client with a mental health disorder. Which action should
the nurse include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Teach relaxation techniques
B. Monitor for adverse effects of medications
C. Encourage group therapy attendance
D. Assist with identifying coping strategies
CORRECT ANSWER B — Monitor for adverse effects of medications
RATIONALE Psychobiological interventions address BIOLOGICAL aspects — medication
monitoring, side effect management. The other options are psychosocial
interventions.
,3. A nurse is conducting an initial client interview. Which action is the PRIORITY?
A. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status
B. Obtain a complete medication history
C. Review previous hospitalizations
D. Determine family history of mental illness
CORRECT ANSWER A — Identify the client's perception of her mental health status
RATIONALE Understanding the client's own perception establishes rapport and is the
foundation of the therapeutic relationship. Other data collection is secondary to
this.
4. A nurse is told during change of shift report that a client is stuporous. Which finding
should the nurse expect?
A. The client is fully alert and oriented
B. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
C. The client responds only to verbal stimuli
D. The client is completely unresponsive to all stimuli
CORRECT ANSWER B — The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
RATIONALE Stuporous clients require vigorous or painful stimuli (sternal rub) to arouse
briefly, then return to an unresponsive state. Alert/oriented = normal. Verbal
response only = lethargic/somnolent. Completely unresponsive = comatose.
, 5. A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the DSM-5. Which information is
appropriate? (Select all that apply)
A. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders
B. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care
C. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders
D. The DSM-5 prescribes specific treatment protocols
CORRECT ANSWER A, B, C
RATIONALE DSM-5 provides diagnostic criteria, assists care planning, and describes expected
findings. It does NOT prescribe specific treatments — those come from clinical
guidelines and provider judgment.
6. A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. Which
client requires a temporary emergency admission?
A. A client with depression who reports poor sleep
B. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod
C. A client with anxiety who requests medication adjustment
D. A client with bipolar disorder who is medication compliant
CORRECT ANSWER B — A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless
man with a metal rod
RATIONALE Emergency involuntary admission is justified when a client is a DANGER TO
OTHERS. Assault with a weapon meets this criterion. Poor sleep, medication
requests, and stable bipolar disorder do not warrant emergency commitment.
ATI Nursing Education
ATI ★ Mental Health Proctored Practice Examination
★
EST. 1998
HELPING STUDENTS MASTER THE BUSINESS OF LEARNING
ATI Mental Health Proctored Practice Examination
CO M P R E H E N S I V E R E V I E W : D S M - 5 , PSYC H O P H A R M ACO LO G Y, T H E RA P E U T I C
CO M M U N I C AT I O N & C R I S I S I N T E R V E N T I O N
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education PROGRAM Registered Nursing (RN)
EXAM Mental Health Proctored Practice ACADEMIC YEAR
Examination
EXAM TYPE Practice Examination — Verified TOTAL QUESTIONS 138 Questions
Answers
CONTENT AREAS DSM-5, Pharmacology, FORMAT Multiple Choice / Select All That
Communication, Crisis, Violence, Apply
Grief
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer or all that apply as indicated.
▸ Topics: Mental status exam, DSM-5, therapeutic communication, defense mechanisms, anxiety
disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, substance use, eating disorders,
crisis intervention, violence, grief.
▸ All content aligns with ATI Mental Health Proctored Examination blueprint.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
SECTION I — MENTAL HEALTH PROCTORED PRACTICE
Questions 1 – 138
EXAMINATION
,1. A charge nurse is discussing mental status exams with a newly licensed nurse. Which
statements indicate understanding? (Select all that apply)
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by sevens."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To assess mood, I should observe the client's physical appearance."
CORRECT ANSWER A, B, C
RATIONALE Serial sevens tests attention/concentration (cognitive). Affect is observed through
facial expression. Writing a sentence assesses language. Mood is SUBJECTIVE
(client's reported feeling), not assessed by appearance. Appearance is a separate
MSE component.
2. A nurse is planning care for a client with a mental health disorder. Which action should
the nurse include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Teach relaxation techniques
B. Monitor for adverse effects of medications
C. Encourage group therapy attendance
D. Assist with identifying coping strategies
CORRECT ANSWER B — Monitor for adverse effects of medications
RATIONALE Psychobiological interventions address BIOLOGICAL aspects — medication
monitoring, side effect management. The other options are psychosocial
interventions.
,3. A nurse is conducting an initial client interview. Which action is the PRIORITY?
A. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status
B. Obtain a complete medication history
C. Review previous hospitalizations
D. Determine family history of mental illness
CORRECT ANSWER A — Identify the client's perception of her mental health status
RATIONALE Understanding the client's own perception establishes rapport and is the
foundation of the therapeutic relationship. Other data collection is secondary to
this.
4. A nurse is told during change of shift report that a client is stuporous. Which finding
should the nurse expect?
A. The client is fully alert and oriented
B. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
C. The client responds only to verbal stimuli
D. The client is completely unresponsive to all stimuli
CORRECT ANSWER B — The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
RATIONALE Stuporous clients require vigorous or painful stimuli (sternal rub) to arouse
briefly, then return to an unresponsive state. Alert/oriented = normal. Verbal
response only = lethargic/somnolent. Completely unresponsive = comatose.
, 5. A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the DSM-5. Which information is
appropriate? (Select all that apply)
A. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders
B. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care
C. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders
D. The DSM-5 prescribes specific treatment protocols
CORRECT ANSWER A, B, C
RATIONALE DSM-5 provides diagnostic criteria, assists care planning, and describes expected
findings. It does NOT prescribe specific treatments — those come from clinical
guidelines and provider judgment.
6. A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. Which
client requires a temporary emergency admission?
A. A client with depression who reports poor sleep
B. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod
C. A client with anxiety who requests medication adjustment
D. A client with bipolar disorder who is medication compliant
CORRECT ANSWER B — A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless
man with a metal rod
RATIONALE Emergency involuntary admission is justified when a client is a DANGER TO
OTHERS. Assault with a weapon meets this criterion. Poor sleep, medication
requests, and stable bipolar disorder do not warrant emergency commitment.
