NSG 3450/NSG3450 Exam 3 – Mental Health
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Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales |
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Q1: A patient with major depressive disorder has been prescribed fluoxetine 20 mg
daily. Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "I should take this medication first thing in the morning."
B. "I might not feel better for several weeks."
C. "I can stop taking this once I feel my mood improve." [CORRECT]
D. "I need to watch for increased anxiety or agitation."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because antidepressants require consistent long-term use; abrupt
discontinuation leads to relapse and withdrawal symptoms. This matches the priority
teaching point for SSRI adherence.
Q2: The nurse is assessing a patient in the emergency department who reports recent
suicidal ideation with a specific plan. What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Place the patient in a private room for quiet reflection.
B. Ask the patient to sign a no-harm contract.
C. Initiate one-to-one continuous observation. [CORRECT]
D. Notify the patient's family immediately.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because the priority intervention for active suicidal ideation with a
plan is maintaining patient safety through continuous visual observation. This matches
standard suicide precaution protocols.
Q3: A patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder is in the manic phase and has not slept or
eaten for two days. Which nursing intervention takes priority?
A. Offer high-calorie finger foods and fluids. [CORRECT]
B. Provide a quiet environment with dim lighting.
C. Administer prescribed haloperidol as needed.
,D. Encourage participation in group therapy activities.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because physiological needs (nutrition/hydration) take priority over
other interventions; manic patients may not sit for meals, so portable nutrient-dense
options are essential.
Q4: Which therapeutic communication technique is most appropriate when a patient
with schizophrenia states, "The FBI is monitoring my thoughts through the television"?
A. "That sounds frightening. Tell me more about what you are experiencing." [CORRECT]
B. "You know that's not real, right?"
C. "Why would the FBI be interested in you?"
D. "Let's change the subject to something more pleasant."
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because acknowledging the patient's emotion without validating the
delusion maintains therapeutic rapport and encourages expression of feelings.
Q5: The nurse is preparing to discharge a patient with alcohol use disorder who is
starting disulfiram. Which instruction is essential?
A. Avoid all products containing alcohol, including mouthwash and cough syrup.
[CORRECT]
B. Take the medication only when you have cravings.
C. This medication will reduce your withdrawal symptoms.
D. It is safe to drink after 48 hours off the medication.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because disulfiram produces severe adverse reactions (flushing,
vomiting, hypotension) when combined with even trace alcohol; complete avoidance is
mandatory.
Q6: A patient with post-traumatic stress disorder experiences flashbacks. Which
intervention is most effective during an acute flashback episode?
A. Encourage the patient to describe the traumatic memory.
B. Guide the patient in grounding techniques using sensory cues. [CORRECT]
C. Restrain the patient if they become physically agitated.
D. Administer PRN benzodiazepine immediately.
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because grounding techniques redirect focus to the present
environment and interrupt the dissociative flashback, which is the first-line
nonpharmacologic intervention.
Q7: The nurse assesses a patient on the psychiatric unit who is pacing, speaking rapidly,
and expressing feelings of doom. What is the most accurate interpretation?
A. The patient is experiencing a panic attack. [CORRECT]
B. The patient is displaying manic behavior.
C. The patient is having a psychotic break.
D. The patient is demonstrating antisocial traits.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because acute anxiety with pacing, pressured speech, and
catastrophic thoughts aligns with the clinical presentation of a panic attack requiring
immediate calming interventions.
Q8: A patient with schizophrenia has been taking olanzapine for three months. Which
assessment finding warrants immediate intervention?
A. Weight gain of 10 pounds
B. Dry mouth and mild sedation
C. Involuntary tongue thrusting and facial grimacing [CORRECT]
D. Blood pressure 110/70 mmHg
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because tardive dyskinesia presents with involuntary buccolingual
movements; this is a potentially irreversible extrapyramidal side effect requiring
immediate provider notification.
Q9: The nurse is admitting a patient involuntarily under a 72-hour hold. Which patient
right must the nurse uphold?
A. The right to refuse all psychiatric medications. [CORRECT]
B. The right to leave the unit at any time.
C. The right to make phone calls whenever desired.
D. The right to demand a specific medication.
Correct Answer: A
Review Actual Exam 2026/2027 | Complete
Exam-Style Questions with Detailed Rationales |
Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Q1: A patient with major depressive disorder has been prescribed fluoxetine 20 mg
daily. Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "I should take this medication first thing in the morning."
B. "I might not feel better for several weeks."
C. "I can stop taking this once I feel my mood improve." [CORRECT]
D. "I need to watch for increased anxiety or agitation."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because antidepressants require consistent long-term use; abrupt
discontinuation leads to relapse and withdrawal symptoms. This matches the priority
teaching point for SSRI adherence.
Q2: The nurse is assessing a patient in the emergency department who reports recent
suicidal ideation with a specific plan. What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Place the patient in a private room for quiet reflection.
B. Ask the patient to sign a no-harm contract.
C. Initiate one-to-one continuous observation. [CORRECT]
D. Notify the patient's family immediately.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because the priority intervention for active suicidal ideation with a
plan is maintaining patient safety through continuous visual observation. This matches
standard suicide precaution protocols.
Q3: A patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder is in the manic phase and has not slept or
eaten for two days. Which nursing intervention takes priority?
A. Offer high-calorie finger foods and fluids. [CORRECT]
B. Provide a quiet environment with dim lighting.
C. Administer prescribed haloperidol as needed.
,D. Encourage participation in group therapy activities.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because physiological needs (nutrition/hydration) take priority over
other interventions; manic patients may not sit for meals, so portable nutrient-dense
options are essential.
Q4: Which therapeutic communication technique is most appropriate when a patient
with schizophrenia states, "The FBI is monitoring my thoughts through the television"?
A. "That sounds frightening. Tell me more about what you are experiencing." [CORRECT]
B. "You know that's not real, right?"
C. "Why would the FBI be interested in you?"
D. "Let's change the subject to something more pleasant."
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because acknowledging the patient's emotion without validating the
delusion maintains therapeutic rapport and encourages expression of feelings.
Q5: The nurse is preparing to discharge a patient with alcohol use disorder who is
starting disulfiram. Which instruction is essential?
A. Avoid all products containing alcohol, including mouthwash and cough syrup.
[CORRECT]
B. Take the medication only when you have cravings.
C. This medication will reduce your withdrawal symptoms.
D. It is safe to drink after 48 hours off the medication.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because disulfiram produces severe adverse reactions (flushing,
vomiting, hypotension) when combined with even trace alcohol; complete avoidance is
mandatory.
Q6: A patient with post-traumatic stress disorder experiences flashbacks. Which
intervention is most effective during an acute flashback episode?
A. Encourage the patient to describe the traumatic memory.
B. Guide the patient in grounding techniques using sensory cues. [CORRECT]
C. Restrain the patient if they become physically agitated.
D. Administer PRN benzodiazepine immediately.
, Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Correct because grounding techniques redirect focus to the present
environment and interrupt the dissociative flashback, which is the first-line
nonpharmacologic intervention.
Q7: The nurse assesses a patient on the psychiatric unit who is pacing, speaking rapidly,
and expressing feelings of doom. What is the most accurate interpretation?
A. The patient is experiencing a panic attack. [CORRECT]
B. The patient is displaying manic behavior.
C. The patient is having a psychotic break.
D. The patient is demonstrating antisocial traits.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Correct because acute anxiety with pacing, pressured speech, and
catastrophic thoughts aligns with the clinical presentation of a panic attack requiring
immediate calming interventions.
Q8: A patient with schizophrenia has been taking olanzapine for three months. Which
assessment finding warrants immediate intervention?
A. Weight gain of 10 pounds
B. Dry mouth and mild sedation
C. Involuntary tongue thrusting and facial grimacing [CORRECT]
D. Blood pressure 110/70 mmHg
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct because tardive dyskinesia presents with involuntary buccolingual
movements; this is a potentially irreversible extrapyramidal side effect requiring
immediate provider notification.
Q9: The nurse is admitting a patient involuntarily under a 72-hour hold. Which patient
right must the nurse uphold?
A. The right to refuse all psychiatric medications. [CORRECT]
B. The right to leave the unit at any time.
C. The right to make phone calls whenever desired.
D. The right to demand a specific medication.
Correct Answer: A
