,Galen NSG 3450 Exam 1 | Nursing Practice: Mental Health
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. A nursing student expresses concern that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical
nursing skills." Which response by the mental health nurse is most appropriate?
A) "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties."
B) "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems."
C) "Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring equipment and manage
complex intravenous therapies."
D) "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses."
Correct Answer: Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional problems.
Rationale: Mental health nursing requires sophisticated communication, assessment, and
critical thinking skills to address complex biopsychosocial issues. This response validates the
student's concern while accurately describing the intellectual demands of psychiatric nursing.
The other options minimize or misrepresent the specialty's challenges.
2. Which statement best describes the concept of mental health?
A) Mental health is the absence of mental illness.
B) Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own abilities,
can cope with normal stresses, and can work productively.
C) Mental health is determined solely by genetic factors.
D) Mental health is the ability to control one's emotions at all times.
Correct Answer: Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their
own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, and can work productively.
,Rationale: Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes
their own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and contributes to their
community. It is not merely the absence of mental illness and involves a dynamic balance of
emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
3. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form.
Which resource should the nurse consult to determine the criteria used to establish this
diagnosis?
A) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
B) The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
C) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
D) A behavioral health reference manual
Correct Answer: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Rationale: The DSM-5 is the primary resource used in the United States for diagnosing
mental disorders. It provides standardized diagnostic criteria for psychiatric conditions. The
ICD-10 is used for billing and coding, while the ANA standards guide nursing practice, not
diagnosis.
4. Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a
mental illness?
A) Reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety
B) Reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood
C) Is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real"
D) Perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs
Correct Answer: Reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood
, Rationale: Persistent sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood is a hallmark symptom of
depression, a mental illness. Occasional sleeplessness and anxiety, difficulty with decisions,
and the ability to distinguish reality are within normal range.
5. According to Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Theory, which phase involves the nurse and
patient working together to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals?
A) Pre-interaction phase
B) Orientation phase
C) Working phase
D) Termination phase
Correct Answer: Working phase
Rationale: The working phase is when the nurse and patient collaborate to achieve
therapeutic goals, with the patient actively participating in problem-solving. The orientation
phase establishes trust, and the termination phase concludes the relationship.
6. A patient is admitted to a psychiatric unit involuntarily. The nurse understands that
involuntary admission requires:
A) The patient's consent
B) A court order or legal criteria indicating the patient is a danger to self or others
C) The family's request
D) The patient's insurance approval
Correct Answer: A court order or legal criteria indicating the patient is a danger to self or
others
Rationale: Involuntary admission requires legal criteria, typically that the patient is a danger
to self or others or is unable to care for themselves. The patient's consent is not required, and
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. A nursing student expresses concern that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical
nursing skills." Which response by the mental health nurse is most appropriate?
A) "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties."
B) "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems."
C) "Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring equipment and manage
complex intravenous therapies."
D) "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses."
Correct Answer: Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional problems.
Rationale: Mental health nursing requires sophisticated communication, assessment, and
critical thinking skills to address complex biopsychosocial issues. This response validates the
student's concern while accurately describing the intellectual demands of psychiatric nursing.
The other options minimize or misrepresent the specialty's challenges.
2. Which statement best describes the concept of mental health?
A) Mental health is the absence of mental illness.
B) Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own abilities,
can cope with normal stresses, and can work productively.
C) Mental health is determined solely by genetic factors.
D) Mental health is the ability to control one's emotions at all times.
Correct Answer: Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their
own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, and can work productively.
,Rationale: Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes
their own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and contributes to their
community. It is not merely the absence of mental illness and involves a dynamic balance of
emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
3. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form.
Which resource should the nurse consult to determine the criteria used to establish this
diagnosis?
A) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
B) The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
C) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
D) A behavioral health reference manual
Correct Answer: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Rationale: The DSM-5 is the primary resource used in the United States for diagnosing
mental disorders. It provides standardized diagnostic criteria for psychiatric conditions. The
ICD-10 is used for billing and coding, while the ANA standards guide nursing practice, not
diagnosis.
4. Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a
mental illness?
A) Reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety
B) Reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood
C) Is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real"
D) Perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs
Correct Answer: Reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood
, Rationale: Persistent sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood is a hallmark symptom of
depression, a mental illness. Occasional sleeplessness and anxiety, difficulty with decisions,
and the ability to distinguish reality are within normal range.
5. According to Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Theory, which phase involves the nurse and
patient working together to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals?
A) Pre-interaction phase
B) Orientation phase
C) Working phase
D) Termination phase
Correct Answer: Working phase
Rationale: The working phase is when the nurse and patient collaborate to achieve
therapeutic goals, with the patient actively participating in problem-solving. The orientation
phase establishes trust, and the termination phase concludes the relationship.
6. A patient is admitted to a psychiatric unit involuntarily. The nurse understands that
involuntary admission requires:
A) The patient's consent
B) A court order or legal criteria indicating the patient is a danger to self or others
C) The family's request
D) The patient's insurance approval
Correct Answer: A court order or legal criteria indicating the patient is a danger to self or
others
Rationale: Involuntary admission requires legal criteria, typically that the patient is a danger
to self or others or is unable to care for themselves. The patient's consent is not required, and
