ATI PN MENTAL HEALTH PROCTORED
EXAM_2022/2023 | PN MENTAL HEALTH
PROCTORED EXAM_Graded A
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (Q1–15)
1. A nurse is using Maslow's hierarchy to prioritize care. Which client need should the nurse
address first?
A. A client who states, "No one respects me."
B. A client who refuses to eat and has lost 4 lb in 3 days
C. A client who reports feeling lonely
D. A client who is crying about failing a test
B· Physiologic needs (nutrition, safety) always precede psychosocial needs. Refusal to
eat with rapid weight loss is a physiologic threat.
2. Which statement best describes the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-5)?
A. It determines reimbursement for psychiatric care.
B. It provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
C. It outlines nursing interventions for each disorder.
D. It lists medications approved for psychiatric use.
B· The DSM-5 provides standardized diagnostic criteria used by providers; it does not
direct nursing care or reimbursement.
3. A nurse is assessing a client's mental status. Which finding indicates cognitive function?
A. Flat affect
B. Pressured speech
C. Orientation to person, place, and time
D. Reports of hopelessness
C· Orientation, memory, and attention are cognitive functions; affect, speech, and
mood are affective/behavioral findings.
4. Which is an example of a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Avolition
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucinations
D. Flat affect
, C· Positive symptoms are added experiences (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized
speech). Avolition, anhedonia, and flat affect are negative symptoms.
5. A nurse is performing a mental status exam. Which question assesses insight?
A. "Do you know where you are right now?"
B. "What would you do if you found a wallet on the street?"
C. "Why do you think you were admitted to the hospital?"
D. "Can you count backward from 100 by sevens?"
C· Insight is the client's understanding of their own illness/situation. Judgment is
assessed by hypothetical scenarios.
6. A client's speech jumps rapidly from one unrelated topic to another. The nurse documents
this as:
A. Flight of ideas
B. Neologism
C. Echolalia
D. Word salad
A· Flight of ideas = rapid, pressured, loosely connected thoughts (mania). Word salad is
incomprehensible mixing; neologism is invented words; echolalia is repeating others' words.
7. Which defense mechanism is a client using who says, "I don't need to stop drinking—my wife
is the one with the problem"?
A. Projection
B. Denial
C. Rationalization
D. Displacement
B· Denial is refusing to accept reality. Projection would be attributing one's own
unacceptable feelings to another.
8. A nurse is teaching about milieu therapy. Which statement by the client indicates
understanding?
A. "The environment itself is part of my treatment."
B. "I will only talk to my individual therapist."
C. "I won't have to follow any unit rules."
D. "My family is not allowed to visit."
A· Milieu therapy uses the therapeutic environment and structured interactions as
treatment.
9. Which action demonstrates advocacy?
A. Telling the client what decision to make
, B. Sharing the client's diagnosis with a neighbor
C. Ensuring the client understands their right to refuse medication
D. Documenting the client's statements verbatim without assessment
C· Advocacy = protecting and informing clients of their rights and supporting informed
choices.
10. A nurse is assessing for anosognosia. Which statement reflects this?
A. "I know I have bipolar disorder."
B. "There's nothing wrong with me—why am I here?"
C. "I hear voices telling me to leave."
D. "I feel sad all the time."
B· Anosognosia is lack of awareness of one's own illness, common in schizophrenia and
bipolar disorder.
11. Which finding indicates akathisia?
A. Involuntary tongue movements
B. Inability to sit still, pacing
C. Muscle rigidity and high fever
D. Drooling and mask-like face
B· Akathisia = motor restlessness from antipsychotics. Tongue movements = tardive
dyskinesia; rigidity/fever = NMS; drooling/mask face = pseudoparkinsonism.
12. The nurse's primary responsibility when a client becomes verbally aggressive is:
A. Set limits and ensure safety of all clients
B. Medicate immediately without discussion
C. Place the client in seclusion
D. Ignore the behavior until it stops
A· Safety first; limit-setting and de-escalation precede restraints/seclusion.
13. Which statement about confidentiality is correct?
A. It ends when a client is admitted involuntarily.
B. It must be breached when a client threatens a specific person.
C. It does not apply to adolescents.
D. It allows discussion with any family member.
B· The duty to warn/protect (Tarasoff) requires breach when there is a specific threat to
an identifiable victim.
14. A nurse is documenting. Which entry is appropriate?
A. "Client is manipulative and annoying."
B. "Client refused lunch; stated, 'I'm not hungry.'"
EXAM_2022/2023 | PN MENTAL HEALTH
PROCTORED EXAM_Graded A
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (Q1–15)
1. A nurse is using Maslow's hierarchy to prioritize care. Which client need should the nurse
address first?
A. A client who states, "No one respects me."
B. A client who refuses to eat and has lost 4 lb in 3 days
C. A client who reports feeling lonely
D. A client who is crying about failing a test
B· Physiologic needs (nutrition, safety) always precede psychosocial needs. Refusal to
eat with rapid weight loss is a physiologic threat.
2. Which statement best describes the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-5)?
A. It determines reimbursement for psychiatric care.
B. It provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
C. It outlines nursing interventions for each disorder.
D. It lists medications approved for psychiatric use.
B· The DSM-5 provides standardized diagnostic criteria used by providers; it does not
direct nursing care or reimbursement.
3. A nurse is assessing a client's mental status. Which finding indicates cognitive function?
A. Flat affect
B. Pressured speech
C. Orientation to person, place, and time
D. Reports of hopelessness
C· Orientation, memory, and attention are cognitive functions; affect, speech, and
mood are affective/behavioral findings.
4. Which is an example of a positive symptom of schizophrenia?
A. Avolition
B. Anhedonia
C. Hallucinations
D. Flat affect
, C· Positive symptoms are added experiences (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized
speech). Avolition, anhedonia, and flat affect are negative symptoms.
5. A nurse is performing a mental status exam. Which question assesses insight?
A. "Do you know where you are right now?"
B. "What would you do if you found a wallet on the street?"
C. "Why do you think you were admitted to the hospital?"
D. "Can you count backward from 100 by sevens?"
C· Insight is the client's understanding of their own illness/situation. Judgment is
assessed by hypothetical scenarios.
6. A client's speech jumps rapidly from one unrelated topic to another. The nurse documents
this as:
A. Flight of ideas
B. Neologism
C. Echolalia
D. Word salad
A· Flight of ideas = rapid, pressured, loosely connected thoughts (mania). Word salad is
incomprehensible mixing; neologism is invented words; echolalia is repeating others' words.
7. Which defense mechanism is a client using who says, "I don't need to stop drinking—my wife
is the one with the problem"?
A. Projection
B. Denial
C. Rationalization
D. Displacement
B· Denial is refusing to accept reality. Projection would be attributing one's own
unacceptable feelings to another.
8. A nurse is teaching about milieu therapy. Which statement by the client indicates
understanding?
A. "The environment itself is part of my treatment."
B. "I will only talk to my individual therapist."
C. "I won't have to follow any unit rules."
D. "My family is not allowed to visit."
A· Milieu therapy uses the therapeutic environment and structured interactions as
treatment.
9. Which action demonstrates advocacy?
A. Telling the client what decision to make
, B. Sharing the client's diagnosis with a neighbor
C. Ensuring the client understands their right to refuse medication
D. Documenting the client's statements verbatim without assessment
C· Advocacy = protecting and informing clients of their rights and supporting informed
choices.
10. A nurse is assessing for anosognosia. Which statement reflects this?
A. "I know I have bipolar disorder."
B. "There's nothing wrong with me—why am I here?"
C. "I hear voices telling me to leave."
D. "I feel sad all the time."
B· Anosognosia is lack of awareness of one's own illness, common in schizophrenia and
bipolar disorder.
11. Which finding indicates akathisia?
A. Involuntary tongue movements
B. Inability to sit still, pacing
C. Muscle rigidity and high fever
D. Drooling and mask-like face
B· Akathisia = motor restlessness from antipsychotics. Tongue movements = tardive
dyskinesia; rigidity/fever = NMS; drooling/mask face = pseudoparkinsonism.
12. The nurse's primary responsibility when a client becomes verbally aggressive is:
A. Set limits and ensure safety of all clients
B. Medicate immediately without discussion
C. Place the client in seclusion
D. Ignore the behavior until it stops
A· Safety first; limit-setting and de-escalation precede restraints/seclusion.
13. Which statement about confidentiality is correct?
A. It ends when a client is admitted involuntarily.
B. It must be breached when a client threatens a specific person.
C. It does not apply to adolescents.
D. It allows discussion with any family member.
B· The duty to warn/protect (Tarasoff) requires breach when there is a specific threat to
an identifiable victim.
14. A nurse is documenting. Which entry is appropriate?
A. "Client is manipulative and annoying."
B. "Client refused lunch; stated, 'I'm not hungry.'"
