ATI MENTAL HEALTH EXAM PRACTICE TEST
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ACTUAL PRACTICE
EXAM WITH WELL ELABORATED AND MOST
TESTED REAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND 100%
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES PLUS EXPERT ANSWER KEY 2026-2027
Q&A 100% GUARANTEED PASS A+ INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
Section 1: Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
1. A nurse is conducting a mental status examination on a client. Which of the
following findings should the nurse document as impaired short-term
memory?
A. The client correctly identifies the current date.
B. The client cannot recall three objects after five minutes.
C. The client can repeat three objects immediately.
D. The client recalls events from childhood accurately.
B. The client cannot recall three objects after five minutes.
Short-term memory involves retention and recall of information after a
delay. The client who cannot recall after five minutes demonstrates
impairment in short-term memory. Immediate recall (C) and remote
memory (D) are intact.
2. A nurse is establishing a therapeutic relationship with a client who has
borderline personality disorder. Which action should the nurse prioritize
during the orientation phase?
A. Avoiding discussion of termination until the client brings it up.
B. Discussing termination and potential feelings of abandonment from the
beginning.
C. Establishing a flexible schedule to accommodate the client’s needs.
, D. Maintaining a distant, professional demeanor.
B. Discussing termination and potential feelings of abandonment from
the beginning.
Clients with borderline personality disorder have intense abandonment
fears. Discussing the framework of the therapeutic relationship, including
termination, from the beginning establishes trust and reduces anxiety.
3. A client who has schizophrenia tells the nurse, “I’m thinking of stopping my
medication because I feel fine now and I don’t like the side effects.” The
nurse recognizes this statement reflects which component of the Health
Belief Model?
A. Perceived susceptibility
B. Perceived severity
C. Perceived benefits versus barriers
D. Cues to action
C. Perceived benefits versus barriers.
The client is weighing the benefits of medication (feeling fine) against the
barriers (side effects). This reflects the perceived benefits versus barriers
component of the Health Belief Model.
4. A nurse is caring for a client who was involved in a near-fatal automobile
collision and reports insomnia, anxiety, and flashbacks. What is the nurse’s
initial intervention?
A. Focusing on the present
B. Identifying past stressors
C. Discussing a referral for psychotherapy
D. Exploring the client’s history of mental health problems
A. Focusing on the present.
Crisis intervention deals with the here and now. The focus is on the
present, not the past. Psychotherapy focuses on causes and is not
appropriate for acute crisis intervention.
5. A young adult client draws a face with horns and says, “This is me. I’m a
devil.” What is the best response by the nurse?
A. “I don’t see a devil; why do you see a devil?”
B. “Let’s go to the mirror to see what you look like.”
, C. “When I look at you I see a person, not a devil.”
D. “You’re not a devil; why do you talk about yourself like that?”
C. “When I look at you I see a person, not a devil.”
This response points out reality while attempting to let the client
understand that the nurse sees the client as a person of worth. The other
responses may cut off communication or ask the client to explain
unrealistic feelings.
6. A nurse is talking with a group of parents who have recently experienced the
death of a child. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the parents to avoid discussing the death with their other
children.
B. Recommend each parent grieve in private.
C. Suggest forming a weekly support group for parents who have
experienced the death of a child.
D. Advise the parents to begin counseling if they are still grieving in a few
months.
C. Suggest forming a weekly support group for parents who have
experienced the death of a child.
Support groups are a positive resource in the process of recovery for
parents following the death of a child.
7. A nurse in a community health center is working with a group of clients who
have post-traumatic stress disorder. Which intervention should the nurse
include to reduce anxiety among the group members?
A. Response prevention
B. Guided imagery
C. Aversion therapy
D. Light therapy
B. Guided imagery.
Guided imagery involves assisting the client to imagine a restful and safe
place. This method is effective in reducing anxiety in clients who have
PTSD.
8. A nurse is planning care for a client who is to undergo electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT). Which action should the nurse include in the plan?
, A. Administer phenytoin 30 minutes prior to the procedure.
B. Instruct the client to expect a headache following the procedure.
C. Place the client in four-point restraints prior to the procedure.
D. Monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during the procedure.
D. Monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during the procedure.
The seizure induced during ECT can stress the client’s heart. Therefore,
the nurse should plan to monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during ECT
via an electrocardiogram.
9. A nurse is planning prevention strategies for partner violence in the
community. Which strategy should the nurse include as a method of
secondary prevention?
A. Provide teaching about the use of positive coping mechanisms.
B. Establish screening programs to identify at-risk clients.
C. Refer survivors of intimate partner abuse to a legal advocacy program.
D. Organize rehabilitation therapy for clients who have experienced intimate
partner abuse.
B. Establish screening programs to identify at-risk clients.
This is an example of secondary prevention. By establishing screening
programs, the nurse can identify individuals who are at risk for partner
violence in the community.
10.A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia. Which finding places
the client at the greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others?
A. Inability to communicate with others
B. Feelings of absence of self-worth
C. Lack of motivation to perform daily tasks
D. Command hallucinations
D. Command hallucinations.
A client who has schizophrenia and is experiencing command
hallucinations can hear voices telling them to hurt themselves or others.
Therefore, this client is at the greatest risk for self-directed injury or
injuring others.
11.A nurse is caring for a child who is taking methylphenidate. The nurse
should monitor the child for which finding as an adverse effect?
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ACTUAL PRACTICE
EXAM WITH WELL ELABORATED AND MOST
TESTED REAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND 100%
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES PLUS EXPERT ANSWER KEY 2026-2027
Q&A 100% GUARANTEED PASS A+ INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
Section 1: Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
1. A nurse is conducting a mental status examination on a client. Which of the
following findings should the nurse document as impaired short-term
memory?
A. The client correctly identifies the current date.
B. The client cannot recall three objects after five minutes.
C. The client can repeat three objects immediately.
D. The client recalls events from childhood accurately.
B. The client cannot recall three objects after five minutes.
Short-term memory involves retention and recall of information after a
delay. The client who cannot recall after five minutes demonstrates
impairment in short-term memory. Immediate recall (C) and remote
memory (D) are intact.
2. A nurse is establishing a therapeutic relationship with a client who has
borderline personality disorder. Which action should the nurse prioritize
during the orientation phase?
A. Avoiding discussion of termination until the client brings it up.
B. Discussing termination and potential feelings of abandonment from the
beginning.
C. Establishing a flexible schedule to accommodate the client’s needs.
, D. Maintaining a distant, professional demeanor.
B. Discussing termination and potential feelings of abandonment from
the beginning.
Clients with borderline personality disorder have intense abandonment
fears. Discussing the framework of the therapeutic relationship, including
termination, from the beginning establishes trust and reduces anxiety.
3. A client who has schizophrenia tells the nurse, “I’m thinking of stopping my
medication because I feel fine now and I don’t like the side effects.” The
nurse recognizes this statement reflects which component of the Health
Belief Model?
A. Perceived susceptibility
B. Perceived severity
C. Perceived benefits versus barriers
D. Cues to action
C. Perceived benefits versus barriers.
The client is weighing the benefits of medication (feeling fine) against the
barriers (side effects). This reflects the perceived benefits versus barriers
component of the Health Belief Model.
4. A nurse is caring for a client who was involved in a near-fatal automobile
collision and reports insomnia, anxiety, and flashbacks. What is the nurse’s
initial intervention?
A. Focusing on the present
B. Identifying past stressors
C. Discussing a referral for psychotherapy
D. Exploring the client’s history of mental health problems
A. Focusing on the present.
Crisis intervention deals with the here and now. The focus is on the
present, not the past. Psychotherapy focuses on causes and is not
appropriate for acute crisis intervention.
5. A young adult client draws a face with horns and says, “This is me. I’m a
devil.” What is the best response by the nurse?
A. “I don’t see a devil; why do you see a devil?”
B. “Let’s go to the mirror to see what you look like.”
, C. “When I look at you I see a person, not a devil.”
D. “You’re not a devil; why do you talk about yourself like that?”
C. “When I look at you I see a person, not a devil.”
This response points out reality while attempting to let the client
understand that the nurse sees the client as a person of worth. The other
responses may cut off communication or ask the client to explain
unrealistic feelings.
6. A nurse is talking with a group of parents who have recently experienced the
death of a child. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Encourage the parents to avoid discussing the death with their other
children.
B. Recommend each parent grieve in private.
C. Suggest forming a weekly support group for parents who have
experienced the death of a child.
D. Advise the parents to begin counseling if they are still grieving in a few
months.
C. Suggest forming a weekly support group for parents who have
experienced the death of a child.
Support groups are a positive resource in the process of recovery for
parents following the death of a child.
7. A nurse in a community health center is working with a group of clients who
have post-traumatic stress disorder. Which intervention should the nurse
include to reduce anxiety among the group members?
A. Response prevention
B. Guided imagery
C. Aversion therapy
D. Light therapy
B. Guided imagery.
Guided imagery involves assisting the client to imagine a restful and safe
place. This method is effective in reducing anxiety in clients who have
PTSD.
8. A nurse is planning care for a client who is to undergo electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT). Which action should the nurse include in the plan?
, A. Administer phenytoin 30 minutes prior to the procedure.
B. Instruct the client to expect a headache following the procedure.
C. Place the client in four-point restraints prior to the procedure.
D. Monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during the procedure.
D. Monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during the procedure.
The seizure induced during ECT can stress the client’s heart. Therefore,
the nurse should plan to monitor the client’s cardiac rhythm during ECT
via an electrocardiogram.
9. A nurse is planning prevention strategies for partner violence in the
community. Which strategy should the nurse include as a method of
secondary prevention?
A. Provide teaching about the use of positive coping mechanisms.
B. Establish screening programs to identify at-risk clients.
C. Refer survivors of intimate partner abuse to a legal advocacy program.
D. Organize rehabilitation therapy for clients who have experienced intimate
partner abuse.
B. Establish screening programs to identify at-risk clients.
This is an example of secondary prevention. By establishing screening
programs, the nurse can identify individuals who are at risk for partner
violence in the community.
10.A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia. Which finding places
the client at the greatest risk for self-directed injury or injuring others?
A. Inability to communicate with others
B. Feelings of absence of self-worth
C. Lack of motivation to perform daily tasks
D. Command hallucinations
D. Command hallucinations.
A client who has schizophrenia and is experiencing command
hallucinations can hear voices telling them to hurt themselves or others.
Therefore, this client is at the greatest risk for self-directed injury or
injuring others.
11.A nurse is caring for a child who is taking methylphenidate. The nurse
should monitor the child for which finding as an adverse effect?
