NSG-322 Study Guide Questions with Verified
Correct Answers
What is behavioral health nursing/psychiatric-mental health nursing?
Behavioral health (psychiatric–mental health) nursing is a specialty focused on promoting
mental wellness, preventing mental illness, and providing holistic care for the
psychological, emotional, and social needs of individuals with psychiatric disorders across
the lifespan.
What is mental health?
State of well-being in which an individual reaches their own potential, effectively copes with
the normal stresses of life, works productively, and contributes to their community.
Traits of mental health include resilience, self-awareness, effective communication,
emotional regulation, and the ability to cope with stress.
Physical and mental health have a strong relationship:
o Poor physical health can lead to mental distress/disorders.
o Poor mental health can lead to physical problems.
What is mental illness?
A diagnosable psychiatric disorder can be diagnosed by qualified providers such as PMH-
APRNs, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and primary care providers. Diagnoses are
based on criteria from the DSM or ICD. To meet diagnostic criteria, there must be a
significant alteration in mental functioning related to developmental, biological, and/or
physiological disruptions that interferes with functioning for the individual, others around
them, or both.
,What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and even grow stronger after stress, adversity,
trauma, or crisis. It also includes a person’s capacity to find and use resources that support
well-being. Resilience influences how someone responds to mental health or substance use
disorders, life stressors, and even stress-related physical symptoms. A person’s response is
shaped by culture and societal values, past experiences, and current coping strategies.
Nursing careshould assess: Is the client resilient? What risk factors and protective factors
does this person have?
Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS)
Purpose: This scale measures how well you “bounce back” and cope when life gets hard.
How it works:
You answer 4 statements by rating yourself from 1 to 5:
1 = Not me at all 2 = Mostly not me 3 = Neutral / Sometimes 4 = Mostly me 5 =
Definitely me
The 4 Questions
When something is hard, I try to find creative ways to fix or improve the situation.
No matter what happens, I believe I can control how I respond to it.
I believe hard situations can help me grow into a better/stronger person.
When I lose something (time, opportunities, relationships, etc.), I try to find ways to
replace it or rebuild.
Scoring
Add all 4 answers together.
,✅ Lowest score: 4 (very low coping)
✅ Highest score: 20 (very strong coping)
What your score means:
Score
Meaning
4–13Low resilience coping (struggles to bounce back)
14–16Medium resilience coping (sometimes copes well)
17–20High resilience coping (very strong coping skills)
What does it mean to be mentally healthy?
Mental health allows for: rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, self-esteem
Outpatient setting
Characteristics
Intermittent supervision
Patient lives independently → higher self-care + safety responsibility
Treatment Goal
Maintain stable functioning in the community
Key Interventions
Build long-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with patient + family/supports (include sociocultural needs)
, Encourage medication adherence
Teach/support nutrition + self-care (refer out as needed)
Help patient self-assess health needs (refer to community resources)
Use creative strategies to increase positive social activities
Regular family/support communication to assess functioning
Inpatient Setting
Characteristics
24-hour supervision
Structured therapeutic milieu (staff-supported healing)
Treatment Goal
Stabilize symptoms → return safely to community
Key Interventions
Build short-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with focus on reintegration to community
Administer medications (not just “encourage”)
Monitor nutrition/self-care + assist as needed
Provide health assessment + interventions on unit
Offer structured social activities
Discharge planning with family/significant other:
Housing
Correct Answers
What is behavioral health nursing/psychiatric-mental health nursing?
Behavioral health (psychiatric–mental health) nursing is a specialty focused on promoting
mental wellness, preventing mental illness, and providing holistic care for the
psychological, emotional, and social needs of individuals with psychiatric disorders across
the lifespan.
What is mental health?
State of well-being in which an individual reaches their own potential, effectively copes with
the normal stresses of life, works productively, and contributes to their community.
Traits of mental health include resilience, self-awareness, effective communication,
emotional regulation, and the ability to cope with stress.
Physical and mental health have a strong relationship:
o Poor physical health can lead to mental distress/disorders.
o Poor mental health can lead to physical problems.
What is mental illness?
A diagnosable psychiatric disorder can be diagnosed by qualified providers such as PMH-
APRNs, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and primary care providers. Diagnoses are
based on criteria from the DSM or ICD. To meet diagnostic criteria, there must be a
significant alteration in mental functioning related to developmental, biological, and/or
physiological disruptions that interferes with functioning for the individual, others around
them, or both.
,What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and even grow stronger after stress, adversity,
trauma, or crisis. It also includes a person’s capacity to find and use resources that support
well-being. Resilience influences how someone responds to mental health or substance use
disorders, life stressors, and even stress-related physical symptoms. A person’s response is
shaped by culture and societal values, past experiences, and current coping strategies.
Nursing careshould assess: Is the client resilient? What risk factors and protective factors
does this person have?
Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS)
Purpose: This scale measures how well you “bounce back” and cope when life gets hard.
How it works:
You answer 4 statements by rating yourself from 1 to 5:
1 = Not me at all 2 = Mostly not me 3 = Neutral / Sometimes 4 = Mostly me 5 =
Definitely me
The 4 Questions
When something is hard, I try to find creative ways to fix or improve the situation.
No matter what happens, I believe I can control how I respond to it.
I believe hard situations can help me grow into a better/stronger person.
When I lose something (time, opportunities, relationships, etc.), I try to find ways to
replace it or rebuild.
Scoring
Add all 4 answers together.
,✅ Lowest score: 4 (very low coping)
✅ Highest score: 20 (very strong coping)
What your score means:
Score
Meaning
4–13Low resilience coping (struggles to bounce back)
14–16Medium resilience coping (sometimes copes well)
17–20High resilience coping (very strong coping skills)
What does it mean to be mentally healthy?
Mental health allows for: rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, self-esteem
Outpatient setting
Characteristics
Intermittent supervision
Patient lives independently → higher self-care + safety responsibility
Treatment Goal
Maintain stable functioning in the community
Key Interventions
Build long-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with patient + family/supports (include sociocultural needs)
, Encourage medication adherence
Teach/support nutrition + self-care (refer out as needed)
Help patient self-assess health needs (refer to community resources)
Use creative strategies to increase positive social activities
Regular family/support communication to assess functioning
Inpatient Setting
Characteristics
24-hour supervision
Structured therapeutic milieu (staff-supported healing)
Treatment Goal
Stabilize symptoms → return safely to community
Key Interventions
Build short-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with focus on reintegration to community
Administer medications (not just “encourage”)
Monitor nutrition/self-care + assist as needed
Provide health assessment + interventions on unit
Offer structured social activities
Discharge planning with family/significant other:
Housing
