MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 3 2025 | COMPLETE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED EXPLANATIONS | GRADED A+ | VERIFIED
ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED
Alexi who has separation anxiety disorder has not attended school for three
(3) weeks, and she cries and exhibits clinging behaviors when her mother
encourages attendance. The priority nursing action by the home-care
psychiatric nurse would be to:
A. Assist the child in returning to school immediately with family support.
B. Arrange for a home-school teacher to visit for two (2) weeks
C. Encourage family discussion of various problem areas.
D. Use play therapy to help the child express her feelings. ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------A. Assist the child to return to school
immediately with family support.
When a child refuses to attend school as part of separation anxiety
disorder, it is important to avoid reinforcing this behavior. The nurse's
priority would be to assist the child in returning to school immediately
with support from the family.
A 15-year-old boy was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit because he initiates
frequent fights with peers. Which implementation is most appropriate?
A. Anticipate and neutralize potentially explosive situations.
B. Ignore minor infractions of rules against fighting.
C. Isolate the adolescent from contact with peers.
D. Talk to the adolescent each time fighting occurs. ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Anticipate and neutralize potentially explosive
situations.
The nurse is responsible for maintaining a safe environment;
therefore, it would be appropriate to observe for signs that an
explosive situation is developing and intervening to neutralize the
situation, thereby preventing a fight.
,The community nurse visits the home of George, a child recently diagnosed
with autism. The parents express feelings of shame and guilt about having
somehow caused this problem. Which statement by the nurse would best
help alleviate parental guilt?
A. "Autism is a rare disorder. Your other children shouldn't be affected."
B. "The specific cause of autism is unknown. However, it is known to be
associated with problems in the structure of and chemicals in the brain."
C. "Sometimes a lack of prenatal care can be cause of autism."
D. "Although autism is genetically inherited if you didn't have testing you
could not have known this would happen." ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----
------------B. "The specific cause of autism is unknown. However, it is known
to be associated with problems in the structure of and chemicals in the
brain."
This statement is factual and does not cast blame on anything the
parents did or did not do.
The parents of Suzanne, a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
tell the nurse they have tried everything to calm their child and nothing has
worked. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate initially?
A. Actively listen to the parents' concern before planning interventions.
B. Encourage the parents to discuss these issues with the mental health
team.
C. Provide literature regarding the disorder and its management.
D. Tell the parents they are overacting to the problem. ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Actively listens to the parents' concern before
planning interventions.
The nurse would encourage parents to fully discuss and describe
their perception of the problem in order to assess the family system
before determining appropriate interventions.
,Nurse Gloria questions the parents of a child with oppositional defiant
disorder about the roles of each parent in setting rules of behavior. The
purpose for this type of questioning is to assess which element of the family
system?
A. Anxiety levels
B. Generational boundaries
C. Knowledge of growth and development
D. Quality of communication ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------B.
Generational boundaries
An important element in assessing the family system is determining if
the parents establish and maintain appropriate generational
boundaries, establishing clear rules and expectations as part of the
parental role.
The nurse observes a client pacing in the hall. Which statement by the
nurse may help the client recognize his anxiety?
A. "I guess you're worried about something, aren't you?
b. "Can I get you some medication to help calm you?"
c. "Have you been pacing for a long time?"
d. "I notice that you're pacing. How are you feeling?" ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------D. "I notice that you're pacing. How are you feeling?"
By acknowledging the observed behavior and asking the client to
express his feelings the nurse can best assist the client to become
aware of his anxiety.
A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder is hospitalized on an inpatient
unit. Which nursing response is most therapeutic?
A. Accepting the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
B. Challenging the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
C. Preventing the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
, D. Rejecting the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Accepting the client's obsessive-compulsive
behaviors
A client with obsessive-compulsive behavior uses this behavior to
decrease anxiety. Accepting this behavior as the client's attempt to
feel secure is therapeutic. When a specific treatment plan is
developed, other nursing responses may also be acceptable.
Options B, C, and D: The remaining answer choices will increase the
client's anxiety and therefore are inappropriate.
A client who abuses alcohol and cocaine tells a nurse that he only uses
substances because of his stressful marriage and difficult job. Which
defense mechanisms is this client using?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
D. Sublimation ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------C. Rationalization
Rationalization is the defense mechanism that involves offering
excuses for maladaptive behavior. The client is defending his
substance abuse by providing reasons related to life stressors. This
is a common defense mechanism used by clients with substance
abuse problems.
An 11-year-old child diagnosed with conduct disorder is admitted to the
psychiatric unit for treatment. Which of the following behaviors would the
nurse assess?
A. Restlessness, short attention span, hyperactivity
B. Physical aggressiveness, low-stress tolerance disregard for the rights of
others
C. Deterioration in social functioning, excessive anxiety, and worry, bizarre
behavior
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED EXPLANATIONS | GRADED A+ | VERIFIED
ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED
Alexi who has separation anxiety disorder has not attended school for three
(3) weeks, and she cries and exhibits clinging behaviors when her mother
encourages attendance. The priority nursing action by the home-care
psychiatric nurse would be to:
A. Assist the child in returning to school immediately with family support.
B. Arrange for a home-school teacher to visit for two (2) weeks
C. Encourage family discussion of various problem areas.
D. Use play therapy to help the child express her feelings. ---------
CORRECT ANSWER-----------------A. Assist the child to return to school
immediately with family support.
When a child refuses to attend school as part of separation anxiety
disorder, it is important to avoid reinforcing this behavior. The nurse's
priority would be to assist the child in returning to school immediately
with support from the family.
A 15-year-old boy was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit because he initiates
frequent fights with peers. Which implementation is most appropriate?
A. Anticipate and neutralize potentially explosive situations.
B. Ignore minor infractions of rules against fighting.
C. Isolate the adolescent from contact with peers.
D. Talk to the adolescent each time fighting occurs. ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Anticipate and neutralize potentially explosive
situations.
The nurse is responsible for maintaining a safe environment;
therefore, it would be appropriate to observe for signs that an
explosive situation is developing and intervening to neutralize the
situation, thereby preventing a fight.
,The community nurse visits the home of George, a child recently diagnosed
with autism. The parents express feelings of shame and guilt about having
somehow caused this problem. Which statement by the nurse would best
help alleviate parental guilt?
A. "Autism is a rare disorder. Your other children shouldn't be affected."
B. "The specific cause of autism is unknown. However, it is known to be
associated with problems in the structure of and chemicals in the brain."
C. "Sometimes a lack of prenatal care can be cause of autism."
D. "Although autism is genetically inherited if you didn't have testing you
could not have known this would happen." ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----
------------B. "The specific cause of autism is unknown. However, it is known
to be associated with problems in the structure of and chemicals in the
brain."
This statement is factual and does not cast blame on anything the
parents did or did not do.
The parents of Suzanne, a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
tell the nurse they have tried everything to calm their child and nothing has
worked. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate initially?
A. Actively listen to the parents' concern before planning interventions.
B. Encourage the parents to discuss these issues with the mental health
team.
C. Provide literature regarding the disorder and its management.
D. Tell the parents they are overacting to the problem. ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Actively listens to the parents' concern before
planning interventions.
The nurse would encourage parents to fully discuss and describe
their perception of the problem in order to assess the family system
before determining appropriate interventions.
,Nurse Gloria questions the parents of a child with oppositional defiant
disorder about the roles of each parent in setting rules of behavior. The
purpose for this type of questioning is to assess which element of the family
system?
A. Anxiety levels
B. Generational boundaries
C. Knowledge of growth and development
D. Quality of communication ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------B.
Generational boundaries
An important element in assessing the family system is determining if
the parents establish and maintain appropriate generational
boundaries, establishing clear rules and expectations as part of the
parental role.
The nurse observes a client pacing in the hall. Which statement by the
nurse may help the client recognize his anxiety?
A. "I guess you're worried about something, aren't you?
b. "Can I get you some medication to help calm you?"
c. "Have you been pacing for a long time?"
d. "I notice that you're pacing. How are you feeling?" ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------D. "I notice that you're pacing. How are you feeling?"
By acknowledging the observed behavior and asking the client to
express his feelings the nurse can best assist the client to become
aware of his anxiety.
A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder is hospitalized on an inpatient
unit. Which nursing response is most therapeutic?
A. Accepting the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
B. Challenging the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
C. Preventing the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors
, D. Rejecting the client's obsessive-compulsive behaviors ---------CORRECT
ANSWER-----------------A. Accepting the client's obsessive-compulsive
behaviors
A client with obsessive-compulsive behavior uses this behavior to
decrease anxiety. Accepting this behavior as the client's attempt to
feel secure is therapeutic. When a specific treatment plan is
developed, other nursing responses may also be acceptable.
Options B, C, and D: The remaining answer choices will increase the
client's anxiety and therefore are inappropriate.
A client who abuses alcohol and cocaine tells a nurse that he only uses
substances because of his stressful marriage and difficult job. Which
defense mechanisms is this client using?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
D. Sublimation ---------CORRECT ANSWER-----------------C. Rationalization
Rationalization is the defense mechanism that involves offering
excuses for maladaptive behavior. The client is defending his
substance abuse by providing reasons related to life stressors. This
is a common defense mechanism used by clients with substance
abuse problems.
An 11-year-old child diagnosed with conduct disorder is admitted to the
psychiatric unit for treatment. Which of the following behaviors would the
nurse assess?
A. Restlessness, short attention span, hyperactivity
B. Physical aggressiveness, low-stress tolerance disregard for the rights of
others
C. Deterioration in social functioning, excessive anxiety, and worry, bizarre
behavior
