Varcarolis Ch 1; Mental Health & Mental
Illness
A new staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional interventions?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Establish therapeutic relationships
c. Individualize nursing care plans
d. Prescribe psychotropic medication - ANSD
Prescriptive privileges are granted to masters-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to
perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide individualized care
planning
Two nursing students discuss their career plans after graduation. One student wants to enter
psychiatric nursing. The other asks, "Why would you want to be a psychiatric nurse? The only
thing they do is talk. You'll lose all your skills." Select the best response.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient
ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "I think I will be good in the mental health field. I did not like clinical rotations in school, so I do
not want to continue them after I graduate."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical
nurses do. That appeals to me." - ANSB
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing,
though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients with
medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must
have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like other
specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial
pain and suffering is as real as physical.
A new bill introduced in Congress would reduce funding for care of persons with mental illness.
Groups of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to the legislation.
Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Advocacy
b. Attending
c. Recovery
d. Evidence-based practice - ANSA
, An advocate defends or asserts another's cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping patients understand
their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity, public
speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human condition. Since funding is
necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with mental illness, the letter-writing
campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients who are unable to articulate their own
needs.
An informal group of patients discusses their perceptions of nursing care. Which comment best
indicates a patient perceived the nurse was caring? "My nurse:
a. always asks me which type of juice I want to help me swallow my medication."
b. explained my treatment plan to me and asked for my ideas about how to make it better."
c. told me that if I take all the medicines the doctor prescribes, then I will get discharged soon."
d. spends time listening to me talk about my problems. That helps me feel like I'm not alone." -
ANSD
Caring evidences empathetic understanding as well as competency. It helps change pain and
suffering into a shared experience, creating a human connection that alleviates feelings of
isolation. The distracters give examples of statements that demonstrate advocacy or giving
advice.
Which finding best indicates that a patient has a mental illness? The patient:
a.responds to rules, routines, and customs of a group.
b. reports mood is consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless.
c. performs tasks attempted within the limits set by own abilities.
d. is able to see the difference between the "as if" and the "for real." - ANSB
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which further reflects mental illness. The
distracters describe mentally healthy behaviors.
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved? A patient:
a. sees self as approaching ideals and capable of meeting demands.
b. seeks others to assume responsibility for major areas of own life.
c. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
d. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others. - ANSA
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form. To
determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis, the nurse should consult which resource?
a. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
b. A nursing diagnosis handbook
c. A psychiatric nursing textbook
d. A behavioral health reference manual - ANSA
The DSM-IV-TR gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. The distracters may
not contain diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric illness.
Illness
A new staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional interventions?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Establish therapeutic relationships
c. Individualize nursing care plans
d. Prescribe psychotropic medication - ANSD
Prescriptive privileges are granted to masters-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to
perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide individualized care
planning
Two nursing students discuss their career plans after graduation. One student wants to enter
psychiatric nursing. The other asks, "Why would you want to be a psychiatric nurse? The only
thing they do is talk. You'll lose all your skills." Select the best response.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient
ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "I think I will be good in the mental health field. I did not like clinical rotations in school, so I do
not want to continue them after I graduate."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical
nurses do. That appeals to me." - ANSB
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing,
though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients with
medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must
have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like other
specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial
pain and suffering is as real as physical.
A new bill introduced in Congress would reduce funding for care of persons with mental illness.
Groups of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to the legislation.
Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Advocacy
b. Attending
c. Recovery
d. Evidence-based practice - ANSA
, An advocate defends or asserts another's cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping patients understand
their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity, public
speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human condition. Since funding is
necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with mental illness, the letter-writing
campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients who are unable to articulate their own
needs.
An informal group of patients discusses their perceptions of nursing care. Which comment best
indicates a patient perceived the nurse was caring? "My nurse:
a. always asks me which type of juice I want to help me swallow my medication."
b. explained my treatment plan to me and asked for my ideas about how to make it better."
c. told me that if I take all the medicines the doctor prescribes, then I will get discharged soon."
d. spends time listening to me talk about my problems. That helps me feel like I'm not alone." -
ANSD
Caring evidences empathetic understanding as well as competency. It helps change pain and
suffering into a shared experience, creating a human connection that alleviates feelings of
isolation. The distracters give examples of statements that demonstrate advocacy or giving
advice.
Which finding best indicates that a patient has a mental illness? The patient:
a.responds to rules, routines, and customs of a group.
b. reports mood is consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless.
c. performs tasks attempted within the limits set by own abilities.
d. is able to see the difference between the "as if" and the "for real." - ANSB
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which further reflects mental illness. The
distracters describe mentally healthy behaviors.
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved? A patient:
a. sees self as approaching ideals and capable of meeting demands.
b. seeks others to assume responsibility for major areas of own life.
c. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
d. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others. - ANSA
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form. To
determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis, the nurse should consult which resource?
a. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
b. A nursing diagnosis handbook
c. A psychiatric nursing textbook
d. A behavioral health reference manual - ANSA
The DSM-IV-TR gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. The distracters may
not contain diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric illness.
