• ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EDITION 1 12.0
Complete Practice Test Bank 300 Exam-Style
Questions with Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales All Core Domains Covered | A+
Graded TABLE OF CONTENTS | Section | Topic
Area | Questions
The nurse is assessing a young client admitted to the psychiatric unit for acute depression related to a recent
divorce. Which statement is most indicative of a client suffering from depression?
A. "I'm not very pretty or likeable."
B. "I've lost 20 pounds in the past month."
C. "I like to keep things to myself."
D. "I think everyone is out to get me." –
P 1
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
Correct Answer :A. "I'm not very pretty or likeable."
Feelings of hopelessness are characteristics of one who is depressed. Although option B might be indicative of
depression, further assessment would be required to rule out an organic cause before attributing the statement
to depression. Options C and D are indicative of a paranoid personality.
Physical examination of a 6-year-old boy reveals several bite marks in various locations on his body. X-ray
examination reveals healed fractures of the ribs. The mother tells the nurse that her child is always having
accidents. Which initial response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
A. "I need to tell the health care provider about your child's tendency to be accident-prone."
B. "Tell me more about these accidents that your child has been having."
C. "I need to report these injuries to the authorities because they do not seem accidental."
D. "Boys this age always seem to require more supervision and can be quite accident-prone." –
Correct Answer :B. "Tell me more about these accidents that your child has been having."
Option B seeks more information using an open-ended, nonthreatening statement. Option A might be
appropriate but is not the best answer because the nurse is being somewhat sarcastic and is also avoiding the
situation by referring it to the health care provider for resolution. Although it is true that suspected cases of child
abuse must be reported, option C is almost an attack and is jumping ahead before conclusive data are obtained.
Option D is a cliché and dismisses the seriousness of the situation.
During a home visit, a client with schizophrenia reports hearing voices that tell the client to walk in the middle of
the street. The nurse records several statements made by the client. Based on which statement should the
nurse determine that the client needs hospitalization?
A. "Sometimes I take an extra one of my pills when I hear the voices."
B. "The voices are louder when I forget to take my medication."
C. "No matter what I do, I cannot make the voices go away."
D. "I just try to tell the voices to stop when they bother me." –
P 2
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
Correct Answer :C. "No matter what I do, I cannot make the voices go away."
Hospitalization is needed if the client continues to hear voices telling the client to do things that can cause self-
harm. Option A or B does not require hospitalization unless symptoms become severe. The client should
continue symptom management strategies to prevent hospitalization.
A child is brought to the emergency department with a broken arm. Because of other injuries, the nurse suspects
that the child may be a victim of abuse. When the nurse tries to give the child an injection, the child's mother
becomes very loud and shouts, "I won't leave my son! Don't you touch him! You'll hurt my child!" What is the
best interpretation of the mother's statements?
A. She is regressing to an earlier behavior pattern.
B. She is sublimating her anger.
C. She is projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
D. She is suppressing her fear. –
Correct Answer :C. She is projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
Projection is attributing one's own thoughts, impulses, or behaviors onto another; it is the mother who is
probably harming the child, and she is attributing her actions to the nurse. The mother may be immature, but
option A is not the best description of her behavior. Option B is substituting a socially acceptable feeling for an
unacceptable one. These are not socially acceptable feelings. The mother may be suppressing her fear (option
D) by displaying anger, but such an interpretation cannot be concluded from the data presented.
The emergency department nurse is concerned a client may develop signs of alcohol withdrawal. What
assessments will the nurse include when providing care to this client? (Select all that apply.)
A. Anxiety
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Difficult to arouse
P 3
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
E. Irritability
F. Tremors –
Correct Answer :A. Anxiety
C. Tachycardia
E. Irritability
F. Tremors
The client will demonstrate hypertension and hyperalertness. The remaining symptoms are associated with
alcohol withdrawal. Additional symptoms include anorexia, anxiety, easily startled, insomnia, jerky movements,
and possibility of seizures 7 to 48 hours after consumption of the last drink.
What is the primary goal of the nurse in the initial inpatient treatment for the client with anorexia nervosa?
A. Achieve high esteem in the client.
B. Create a written contract for nutritional intake.
C. Establish a trusting relationship.
D. Restore elimination patterns. –
Correct Answer :C. Establish a trusting relationship.
The primary goal is to establish trust as the remaining actions occur on a foundation of trust. The client may not
exhibit signs of self-esteem while an inpatient as this may take longer to accomplish. A written contract follows
the establishment of trust. Without trust the contract may not be followed. Elimination patterns may be
restored with a balanced, nutritional diet and adequate fluid intake.
The therapy nurse is working with a group of nine veterans who observed traumatic death and violence on a
daily basis while on duty. What actions will the nurse include in the veterans' plan of care? (Select all that apply.)
A. Speak using a calm nonaccusatory tone of voice, and do not pass judgment.
B. With each subsequent session, explore each traumatic experience more deeply.
C. Encourage each veteran to express current feelings to survival of the traumatic event.
P 4
HEALTH NURSING
ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EDITION 1 12.0
Complete Practice Test Bank 300 Exam-Style
Questions with Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales All Core Domains Covered | A+
Graded TABLE OF CONTENTS | Section | Topic
Area | Questions
The nurse is assessing a young client admitted to the psychiatric unit for acute depression related to a recent
divorce. Which statement is most indicative of a client suffering from depression?
A. "I'm not very pretty or likeable."
B. "I've lost 20 pounds in the past month."
C. "I like to keep things to myself."
D. "I think everyone is out to get me." –
P 1
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
Correct Answer :A. "I'm not very pretty or likeable."
Feelings of hopelessness are characteristics of one who is depressed. Although option B might be indicative of
depression, further assessment would be required to rule out an organic cause before attributing the statement
to depression. Options C and D are indicative of a paranoid personality.
Physical examination of a 6-year-old boy reveals several bite marks in various locations on his body. X-ray
examination reveals healed fractures of the ribs. The mother tells the nurse that her child is always having
accidents. Which initial response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
A. "I need to tell the health care provider about your child's tendency to be accident-prone."
B. "Tell me more about these accidents that your child has been having."
C. "I need to report these injuries to the authorities because they do not seem accidental."
D. "Boys this age always seem to require more supervision and can be quite accident-prone." –
Correct Answer :B. "Tell me more about these accidents that your child has been having."
Option B seeks more information using an open-ended, nonthreatening statement. Option A might be
appropriate but is not the best answer because the nurse is being somewhat sarcastic and is also avoiding the
situation by referring it to the health care provider for resolution. Although it is true that suspected cases of child
abuse must be reported, option C is almost an attack and is jumping ahead before conclusive data are obtained.
Option D is a cliché and dismisses the seriousness of the situation.
During a home visit, a client with schizophrenia reports hearing voices that tell the client to walk in the middle of
the street. The nurse records several statements made by the client. Based on which statement should the
nurse determine that the client needs hospitalization?
A. "Sometimes I take an extra one of my pills when I hear the voices."
B. "The voices are louder when I forget to take my medication."
C. "No matter what I do, I cannot make the voices go away."
D. "I just try to tell the voices to stop when they bother me." –
P 2
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
Correct Answer :C. "No matter what I do, I cannot make the voices go away."
Hospitalization is needed if the client continues to hear voices telling the client to do things that can cause self-
harm. Option A or B does not require hospitalization unless symptoms become severe. The client should
continue symptom management strategies to prevent hospitalization.
A child is brought to the emergency department with a broken arm. Because of other injuries, the nurse suspects
that the child may be a victim of abuse. When the nurse tries to give the child an injection, the child's mother
becomes very loud and shouts, "I won't leave my son! Don't you touch him! You'll hurt my child!" What is the
best interpretation of the mother's statements?
A. She is regressing to an earlier behavior pattern.
B. She is sublimating her anger.
C. She is projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
D. She is suppressing her fear. –
Correct Answer :C. She is projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
Projection is attributing one's own thoughts, impulses, or behaviors onto another; it is the mother who is
probably harming the child, and she is attributing her actions to the nurse. The mother may be immature, but
option A is not the best description of her behavior. Option B is substituting a socially acceptable feeling for an
unacceptable one. These are not socially acceptable feelings. The mother may be suppressing her fear (option
D) by displaying anger, but such an interpretation cannot be concluded from the data presented.
The emergency department nurse is concerned a client may develop signs of alcohol withdrawal. What
assessments will the nurse include when providing care to this client? (Select all that apply.)
A. Anxiety
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Difficult to arouse
P 3
, • ATI RN MENTAL 09/09/2026
HEALTH NURSING
E. Irritability
F. Tremors –
Correct Answer :A. Anxiety
C. Tachycardia
E. Irritability
F. Tremors
The client will demonstrate hypertension and hyperalertness. The remaining symptoms are associated with
alcohol withdrawal. Additional symptoms include anorexia, anxiety, easily startled, insomnia, jerky movements,
and possibility of seizures 7 to 48 hours after consumption of the last drink.
What is the primary goal of the nurse in the initial inpatient treatment for the client with anorexia nervosa?
A. Achieve high esteem in the client.
B. Create a written contract for nutritional intake.
C. Establish a trusting relationship.
D. Restore elimination patterns. –
Correct Answer :C. Establish a trusting relationship.
The primary goal is to establish trust as the remaining actions occur on a foundation of trust. The client may not
exhibit signs of self-esteem while an inpatient as this may take longer to accomplish. A written contract follows
the establishment of trust. Without trust the contract may not be followed. Elimination patterns may be
restored with a balanced, nutritional diet and adequate fluid intake.
The therapy nurse is working with a group of nine veterans who observed traumatic death and violence on a
daily basis while on duty. What actions will the nurse include in the veterans' plan of care? (Select all that apply.)
A. Speak using a calm nonaccusatory tone of voice, and do not pass judgment.
B. With each subsequent session, explore each traumatic experience more deeply.
C. Encourage each veteran to express current feelings to survival of the traumatic event.
P 4
