PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING STUDY SET
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS ASSURED.
◉ Which client characteristic is an initial concern for the nurse when caring for a client with the
diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia? Answer: Suspicious feelings
◉ A client with a history of alcoholism is found to have Wernicke encephalopathy associated
with Korsakoff syndrome. What does the nurse anticipate will be prescribed? Answer:
Intramuscular injections of thiamine
◉ A nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of conversion disorder manifesting as paralysis
of the legs. Which is the most therapeutic nursing intervention? Answer: Avoiding focusing on
the client's physical symptoms
◉ A client with schizophrenia sees a group of visitors sitting together talking. The client tells the
nurse, "I know they're talking about me." Which altered thought process should the nurse
identify? Answer: Ideas of reference
◉ A client is brought to the emergency department by friends because of increasingly bizarre
behavior. Which signs does the nurse identify that indicate that the client was using cocaine?
(Select all that apply.) Answer: Euphoria
Agitation
Hypervigilance
Impaired judgment
◉ A nurse notes that a client in the detoxification unit is exhibiting early signs of alcohol
withdrawal. What clinical manifestations might the nurse have noticed? (Select all that apply.)
Answer: Tremors
Anorexia
◉ Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a mode of treatment that is used primarily to treat:
Answer: Clinical depression
◉ A client comes to a mental health center with severe anxiety, evidenced by crying, hand-
wringing, and pacing. What should the first nursing intervention be? Answer: Staying physically
close to the client
,◉ What should a nurse who is caring for a hospitalized older client with dementia consider
before planning care? Answer: Routines provide stability for clients with dementia.
◉ A client tells the nurse, "That man on the television is talking only to me." What should the
nurse document that the client is exhibiting? Answer: Idea of reference
◉ A client with depression is to be given fluoxetine (Prozac). What precaution should the nurse
consider when initiating treatment with this drug? Answer: The blood level may not be
sufficient to cause noticeable improvement for 2 to 4 weeks.
◉ A client on a psychiatric unit misses breakfast because of an elaborate hand-washing ritual.
What is the most important therapeutic intervention during the early period of the client's
hospitalization? Answer: Waking the client early so the ritual can be completed before breakfast
◉ A client with the diagnosis of alcoholism explains to the nurse that alcohol has a calming
effect and states, "I function better when I'm drinking than when I'm sober." What defense
mechanism does the nurse identify? Answer: Rationalization
◉ Evaluation of clients with anorexia nervosa requires reassessment of behaviors after
admission. Which finding indicates that the therapy is beginning to be effective? Answer: The
client has gained 6 lb since admission 3 weeks ago.
◉ A client in a mental health facility is demonstrating manic-type behavior by being demanding
and hyperactive. What is the nurse's major objective? Answer: Maintaining a supportive,
structured environment
◉ A confused hallucinating client says, "My arms are turning to stone." What is the most
therapeutic response by the nurse? Answer: "It can be frightening to feel that way."
◉ When a newly admitted client with paranoid ideation tells the nurse about people coming
through the doors to commit murder, the nurse should: Answer: Listen to what the client is
saying
◉ A client with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has negative feelings
toward the other clients on the unit and considers them all "bad." Which defense is the client
using when identifying the other clients thusly? Answer: Splitting
, ◉ A 17-year-old client is admitted to the hospital because of weight loss and malnutrition, and
the health care provider diagnoses anorexia nervosa. After the client's physical condition is
stabilized, the provider, in conjunction with the client and parents, decides to institute a
behavior-modification program. What component of behavior modification verbalized by one of
the parents leads the nurse to conclude that the parent has an understanding of the therapy?
Answer: Rewarding positive behavior
◉ An older client with a diagnosis of dementia is living in a long-term care facility. The client's
daughter, who lives 300 miles away, calls the unit to speak to the nurse about her upcoming
visit. What should the nurse say in response to her question about the best time of day to visit?
Answer: "Around 2:30 in the afternoon is the best time to visit."
◉ What is the best initial nursing approach to take with a self-accusatory, guilt-ridden client?
Answer: Accepting the client's statements as the client's beliefs
◉ A client who has a history of a conversion reaction that involves weakness in the right arm
that periodically progresses to paralysis is hospitalized on the mental health unit of the local
community hospital. While listening to instructions for a group project, the client experiences a
feeling of weakness and is unable to move the right arm. After evaluating the client, what should
the nurse ask? Answer: "What emotion were you feeling before you felt the weakness?"
◉ When intimate partner violence (IPV) is suspected, the nurse plays an important role as an
advocate for the victim. The advocate role includes several important components. (Select all
that apply.) Answer: Planning for future safety
Validating the experiences
Promoting access to community services
◉ While watching television in the dayroom a client who has demonstrated withdrawn,
regressed behavior suddenly screams, bursts into tears, and runs from the room to the far end
of the hallway. What is the most therapeutic intervention by the nurse? Answer: Walking to the
end of the hallway where the client is standing
◉ A nurse is conducting the Mini-Mental Status examination on an older client. What should the
nurse ask the client to do when testing short-term memory? Answer: State three random words
mentioned earlier in the exam
◉ A 17-year-old teenager is found to have leukemia. Which statements by the teenager reflect
Piaget's cognitive processes associated with adolescence? (Select all that apply.) Answer: "I'm
going to do my best to fight this awful disease."
"Now I can't go to the prom because I have this stupid disease."
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS ASSURED.
◉ Which client characteristic is an initial concern for the nurse when caring for a client with the
diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia? Answer: Suspicious feelings
◉ A client with a history of alcoholism is found to have Wernicke encephalopathy associated
with Korsakoff syndrome. What does the nurse anticipate will be prescribed? Answer:
Intramuscular injections of thiamine
◉ A nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of conversion disorder manifesting as paralysis
of the legs. Which is the most therapeutic nursing intervention? Answer: Avoiding focusing on
the client's physical symptoms
◉ A client with schizophrenia sees a group of visitors sitting together talking. The client tells the
nurse, "I know they're talking about me." Which altered thought process should the nurse
identify? Answer: Ideas of reference
◉ A client is brought to the emergency department by friends because of increasingly bizarre
behavior. Which signs does the nurse identify that indicate that the client was using cocaine?
(Select all that apply.) Answer: Euphoria
Agitation
Hypervigilance
Impaired judgment
◉ A nurse notes that a client in the detoxification unit is exhibiting early signs of alcohol
withdrawal. What clinical manifestations might the nurse have noticed? (Select all that apply.)
Answer: Tremors
Anorexia
◉ Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a mode of treatment that is used primarily to treat:
Answer: Clinical depression
◉ A client comes to a mental health center with severe anxiety, evidenced by crying, hand-
wringing, and pacing. What should the first nursing intervention be? Answer: Staying physically
close to the client
,◉ What should a nurse who is caring for a hospitalized older client with dementia consider
before planning care? Answer: Routines provide stability for clients with dementia.
◉ A client tells the nurse, "That man on the television is talking only to me." What should the
nurse document that the client is exhibiting? Answer: Idea of reference
◉ A client with depression is to be given fluoxetine (Prozac). What precaution should the nurse
consider when initiating treatment with this drug? Answer: The blood level may not be
sufficient to cause noticeable improvement for 2 to 4 weeks.
◉ A client on a psychiatric unit misses breakfast because of an elaborate hand-washing ritual.
What is the most important therapeutic intervention during the early period of the client's
hospitalization? Answer: Waking the client early so the ritual can be completed before breakfast
◉ A client with the diagnosis of alcoholism explains to the nurse that alcohol has a calming
effect and states, "I function better when I'm drinking than when I'm sober." What defense
mechanism does the nurse identify? Answer: Rationalization
◉ Evaluation of clients with anorexia nervosa requires reassessment of behaviors after
admission. Which finding indicates that the therapy is beginning to be effective? Answer: The
client has gained 6 lb since admission 3 weeks ago.
◉ A client in a mental health facility is demonstrating manic-type behavior by being demanding
and hyperactive. What is the nurse's major objective? Answer: Maintaining a supportive,
structured environment
◉ A confused hallucinating client says, "My arms are turning to stone." What is the most
therapeutic response by the nurse? Answer: "It can be frightening to feel that way."
◉ When a newly admitted client with paranoid ideation tells the nurse about people coming
through the doors to commit murder, the nurse should: Answer: Listen to what the client is
saying
◉ A client with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has negative feelings
toward the other clients on the unit and considers them all "bad." Which defense is the client
using when identifying the other clients thusly? Answer: Splitting
, ◉ A 17-year-old client is admitted to the hospital because of weight loss and malnutrition, and
the health care provider diagnoses anorexia nervosa. After the client's physical condition is
stabilized, the provider, in conjunction with the client and parents, decides to institute a
behavior-modification program. What component of behavior modification verbalized by one of
the parents leads the nurse to conclude that the parent has an understanding of the therapy?
Answer: Rewarding positive behavior
◉ An older client with a diagnosis of dementia is living in a long-term care facility. The client's
daughter, who lives 300 miles away, calls the unit to speak to the nurse about her upcoming
visit. What should the nurse say in response to her question about the best time of day to visit?
Answer: "Around 2:30 in the afternoon is the best time to visit."
◉ What is the best initial nursing approach to take with a self-accusatory, guilt-ridden client?
Answer: Accepting the client's statements as the client's beliefs
◉ A client who has a history of a conversion reaction that involves weakness in the right arm
that periodically progresses to paralysis is hospitalized on the mental health unit of the local
community hospital. While listening to instructions for a group project, the client experiences a
feeling of weakness and is unable to move the right arm. After evaluating the client, what should
the nurse ask? Answer: "What emotion were you feeling before you felt the weakness?"
◉ When intimate partner violence (IPV) is suspected, the nurse plays an important role as an
advocate for the victim. The advocate role includes several important components. (Select all
that apply.) Answer: Planning for future safety
Validating the experiences
Promoting access to community services
◉ While watching television in the dayroom a client who has demonstrated withdrawn,
regressed behavior suddenly screams, bursts into tears, and runs from the room to the far end
of the hallway. What is the most therapeutic intervention by the nurse? Answer: Walking to the
end of the hallway where the client is standing
◉ A nurse is conducting the Mini-Mental Status examination on an older client. What should the
nurse ask the client to do when testing short-term memory? Answer: State three random words
mentioned earlier in the exam
◉ A 17-year-old teenager is found to have leukemia. Which statements by the teenager reflect
Piaget's cognitive processes associated with adolescence? (Select all that apply.) Answer: "I'm
going to do my best to fight this awful disease."
"Now I can't go to the prom because I have this stupid disease."
