ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS 2026
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the foll
owing statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should askNthe client to count backward by 7."
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 remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objec - CORRECT ANSWER -
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather than remote, m
emory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the following is appro
priate to include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
,D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview. When c
onducting the interview, which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
*B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.*
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach. Identifying the client's
perception of her mental health status provides important information about the client's psychosocial
history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-
shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
,A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
*A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diso
rders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing - CORRECT ANSWER -A, B, D, E.
The DSM-
5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by nurses to plan, implement, and e
valuate care, and identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
, It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental healt
h facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Ex - CORRECT ANSWER -
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for emergency commitment
.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of the fol
lowing actions should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic commun
ication to convince him to admit to holding the knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate closely.
C. - CORRECT ANSWER -
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns the health and saf
ety of the client and others.
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS 2026
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the foll
owing statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should askNthe client to count backward by 7."
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 remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objec - CORRECT ANSWER -
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather than remote, m
emory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the following is appro
priate to include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
,D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview. When c
onducting the interview, which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
*B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.*
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach. Identifying the client's
perception of her mental health status provides important information about the client's psychosocial
history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-
shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
,A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - CORRECT ANSWER -
*A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diso
rders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing - CORRECT ANSWER -A, B, D, E.
The DSM-
5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by nurses to plan, implement, and e
valuate care, and identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
, It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental healt
h facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Ex - CORRECT ANSWER -
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for emergency commitment
.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of the fol
lowing actions should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic commun
ication to convince him to admit to holding the knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate closely.
C. - CORRECT ANSWER -
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns the health and saf
ety of the client and others.
