Mental Health Questions
1. During a psychiatric nursing assessment, Sally reports to the nurse that
she was sexually assaulted 6 months ago and since then has had trouble
concentrating at work. Her employer tells her he is sensitive to the amount
of stress she is under, since she also recently went through a divorce, but
that she needs to seek help for her anxiety and depression to avoid further
consequences at work. Which of these data support the diagnosis of PTSD
according to DSM-5 criteria? Select all that apply.
1) She directly experienced a traumatic event.
2) She is a single female.
3) She has had difficulty concentrating at work.
4) Her anxiety and depression are interfering with job functioning.
5) Her symptoms have been present for more than 6 months. <Ans> 1) She
directly experienced a traumatic event.
3) She has had difficulty concentrating at work.
4) Her anxiety and depression are interfering with job functioning.
5) Her symptoms have been present for more than 6 months.
2. Jared returned from active duty in the military and has beendiagnosed with
PTSD. Which of the following interventions has been strongly advocated for
as an effective strategy in this population?
1) Group therapy with patients who have a variety of diagnoses
2) Group therapy with patients who have anger management issues
3) Group therapy with patients who have experienced similar traumas
,4) Group therapy with patients who have experienced different types of trau-
ma <Ans> 3) Group therapy with patients who have experienced similar traumas
3. The family of a patient being treated for PTSD asks the nurse to describe
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), since it is being
recommended for this patient. Which of the following teaching points are
accurate descriptions of this intervention? Select all that apply.
1) EMDR has been shown to be effective in the treatment of all mental illness-
es, including schizophrenia.
2) The process involves rapid eye movement while processing painful memo-
ries.
3) This process is contraindicated for patients with retinal detachment or
glaucoma.
4) This process is thought to relieve anxiety so that the trauma can be
processed from a more detached perspective.
,5) The biological mechanism that makes EMDR effective is that it releases
opioid-like chemicals in the brain. <Ans> 2) The process involves rapid eye
movement while processing painful memories.
3) This process is contraindicated for patients with retinal detachment or glaucoma.
4) This process is thought to relieve anxiety so that the trauma can be processed
from a more detached perspective.
4. 4.The nurse is conducting an intake assessment for a patient with PTSD.
Which of the following pieces of information support this diagnosis? Select
all that apply.
1) The patient reports having nightmares but can't remember what they are
about.
2) The patient states that he heard a loud noise when he was walking down
the street and thought he was back in the war zone where he had last been
deployed.
3) The patient took antidepressants when he was in junior high school and
reports they didn't help.
4) The patient denies any history of substance abuse or dependence. <Ans>
1) The patient reports having nightmares but can't remember what they are about.
2) The patient states that he heard a loud noise when he was walking down the
street and thought he was back in the war zone where he had last been deployed.
5. 5.One type of intervention useful for patients with adjustment disorders is a
short-term therapy focused on problem-solving skills and restoring adaptive
functioning. This type of therapy is . <Ans> Crisis
intervention
6. 6.Carol has sought treatment for an adjustment disorder after divorcing her
, husband of 30 years. The nurse assesses that Carol is experiencing compli-
cated grieving. Which of the following would be an appropriate intervention to
address Carol's symptoms?
1) Explore with Carol the stages of normal grieving.
2) Tell Carol that expressing anger will only keep her fixated at that stage of
grieving.
3) Encourage Carol that these symptoms usually go away on their own.
4) All of the above. <Ans> 1) Explore with Carol the stages of normal grieving.
7. 7.Beth is being treated for an adjustment disorder following a job demo-
tion 2 months ago. Since the demotion, she has frequently called in sick,
complains of incapacitating migraines, and has been disciplined for yelling
at her boss. Her husband asks the nurse why his wife is still having so much
trouble functioning, since he knows people who have lost their jobs entirely
1. During a psychiatric nursing assessment, Sally reports to the nurse that
she was sexually assaulted 6 months ago and since then has had trouble
concentrating at work. Her employer tells her he is sensitive to the amount
of stress she is under, since she also recently went through a divorce, but
that she needs to seek help for her anxiety and depression to avoid further
consequences at work. Which of these data support the diagnosis of PTSD
according to DSM-5 criteria? Select all that apply.
1) She directly experienced a traumatic event.
2) She is a single female.
3) She has had difficulty concentrating at work.
4) Her anxiety and depression are interfering with job functioning.
5) Her symptoms have been present for more than 6 months. <Ans> 1) She
directly experienced a traumatic event.
3) She has had difficulty concentrating at work.
4) Her anxiety and depression are interfering with job functioning.
5) Her symptoms have been present for more than 6 months.
2. Jared returned from active duty in the military and has beendiagnosed with
PTSD. Which of the following interventions has been strongly advocated for
as an effective strategy in this population?
1) Group therapy with patients who have a variety of diagnoses
2) Group therapy with patients who have anger management issues
3) Group therapy with patients who have experienced similar traumas
,4) Group therapy with patients who have experienced different types of trau-
ma <Ans> 3) Group therapy with patients who have experienced similar traumas
3. The family of a patient being treated for PTSD asks the nurse to describe
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), since it is being
recommended for this patient. Which of the following teaching points are
accurate descriptions of this intervention? Select all that apply.
1) EMDR has been shown to be effective in the treatment of all mental illness-
es, including schizophrenia.
2) The process involves rapid eye movement while processing painful memo-
ries.
3) This process is contraindicated for patients with retinal detachment or
glaucoma.
4) This process is thought to relieve anxiety so that the trauma can be
processed from a more detached perspective.
,5) The biological mechanism that makes EMDR effective is that it releases
opioid-like chemicals in the brain. <Ans> 2) The process involves rapid eye
movement while processing painful memories.
3) This process is contraindicated for patients with retinal detachment or glaucoma.
4) This process is thought to relieve anxiety so that the trauma can be processed
from a more detached perspective.
4. 4.The nurse is conducting an intake assessment for a patient with PTSD.
Which of the following pieces of information support this diagnosis? Select
all that apply.
1) The patient reports having nightmares but can't remember what they are
about.
2) The patient states that he heard a loud noise when he was walking down
the street and thought he was back in the war zone where he had last been
deployed.
3) The patient took antidepressants when he was in junior high school and
reports they didn't help.
4) The patient denies any history of substance abuse or dependence. <Ans>
1) The patient reports having nightmares but can't remember what they are about.
2) The patient states that he heard a loud noise when he was walking down the
street and thought he was back in the war zone where he had last been deployed.
5. 5.One type of intervention useful for patients with adjustment disorders is a
short-term therapy focused on problem-solving skills and restoring adaptive
functioning. This type of therapy is . <Ans> Crisis
intervention
6. 6.Carol has sought treatment for an adjustment disorder after divorcing her
, husband of 30 years. The nurse assesses that Carol is experiencing compli-
cated grieving. Which of the following would be an appropriate intervention to
address Carol's symptoms?
1) Explore with Carol the stages of normal grieving.
2) Tell Carol that expressing anger will only keep her fixated at that stage of
grieving.
3) Encourage Carol that these symptoms usually go away on their own.
4) All of the above. <Ans> 1) Explore with Carol the stages of normal grieving.
7. 7.Beth is being treated for an adjustment disorder following a job demo-
tion 2 months ago. Since the demotion, she has frequently called in sick,
complains of incapacitating migraines, and has been disciplined for yelling
at her boss. Her husband asks the nurse why his wife is still having so much
trouble functioning, since he knows people who have lost their jobs entirely
