ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
Questions and Verified Answers with
Detailed Rationales Graded A+
Guaranteed Pass 2025
A client who has cognitive impairment tells the nurse, "I'm leaving now. I have to be home by
5:00 PM because dinner will be ready." Which of the following responses by the nurse
demonstrates the use of validation therapy?
A. "It it 5:30 PM now. You are in the hospital and we will bring you dinner soon."
B. "Don't worry about dinner. Your father is bringing dinner here for you tonight."
C. "At home, you had dinner at 5:00 PM. Was your father a good cook?"
D. "Your father was born around the year 1920. Can you tell me what year it is now?" -
Answer ✓✓"At home, you had dinner at 5:00 PM. Was your father a good cook?"
*This response validates the client's feelings and redirects the conversation to another topic
so that the client can talk about personal memories. Validation therapy does not attempt to
orient the client to reality but instead recognizes the underlying feelings expressed by the
client and then redirects the conversation
A nurse is caring for a client who has anxiety disorder. The client states that she forgot her
partner's birthday after they had an argument. The nurse recognizes this action as which of
the following defense mechanisms?
A+ 1
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
A. Repression
B. Splitting
C. Conversion
D. Projection - Answer ✓✓Repression
*The nurse should identify that the client forgetting her partner's birthday following an
argument is an example of repression. Repression is an unconscious exclusion of unpleasant
or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness
A nurse in the emergency department is assessing a client who has generalized anxiety
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Instruct the client to use guided imagery
B. Move the client to a quiet area
C. Assist the client in identifying his coping skills
D. Allow the client time to express his feelings - Answer ✓✓Move the client to a quiet area
*The greatest risk to this client is increased anxiety; therefore, the nurse should first move the
client to a quiet area to decrease excessive stimuli
A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a group of clients. Which of the following
interventions is the priority for the nurse to include?
A. Offer high-calorie beverages to a client who is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder
B. Practice relaxation techniques with a client who has anxiety disorder
C. Assist a client who has depressive disorder with decision-making regarding group activities
A+ 2
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
D. Reinforcing teaching to a client who has schizophrenia about a new prescription for
clozapine - Answer ✓✓Offer high-calorie beverages to a client who is in the manic phase of
bipolar disorder
*Maslow's hierarchy of needs; therefore, the priority intervention is to offer the client high-
calorie beverages. This intervention will help the client meet daily calorie requirements and
prevent dehydration
A nurse is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder. After the client is prescribed lithium, his
adult child states, "I'm upset that my father is taking this medication." Which of the following
responses should the nurse make?
A. "It will be alright. You father's provider knows what she is doing."
B. "You should be more concerned about your father's mania, which puts him at risk for
injury."
C. "Tell me what worries you have about your father taking this medication."
D. "This is an important medication that will treat your father's condition." - Answer ✓✓"Tell
me what worries you have about your father taking this medication."
*This response is therapeutic because it attempts to clarify the family member's concerns and
focuses the conversation on the current topic
A nurse is assisting with the planning of a staff education session about the administration of
antidepressant medications to older adult clients. Which of the following pieces of
information should the nurse recommend including?
A. Older adult clients require a lower initial dose of antidepressant medication than adult
clients
B. Older adult client should not receive antidepressant medication
A+ 3
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
C. Older adult clients achieve the therapeutic effects of antidepressant medications more
quickly than adult clients
D. Older adult clients have a decreased risk of adverse effects from antidepressant medication
- Answer ✓✓Older adult clients require a lower initial dose of antidepressant medication than
adult clients
*Older adult clients should start at half of the adult dose for antidepressant medications. This
is due to altered rates of absorption and the increased risk of adverse effects
A nurse in a mental health unit is contributing to the plan of care for a client who is receiving
treatment for self-inflicted injuries. Which of the following interventions is the priority for this
client?
A. Promoting and maintaining client safety
B. Discussing reasons for the client's behavior
C. Helping the client recognize feelings
D. Reinforcing teaching with the client about alternative coping strategies - Answer
✓✓Promoting and maintaining client safety
*The nurse should recognize that this client has self-inflicted injuries is at risk of further self-
harm or suicide; therefore, the client's safety is the priority.
A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client to an acute-care mental health facility
following a suicide attempt. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Assess the client's level of self-esteem
B. Document the client's mood and affect
C. Attend an interdisciplinary team meeting
A+ 4
ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
Questions and Verified Answers with
Detailed Rationales Graded A+
Guaranteed Pass 2025
A client who has cognitive impairment tells the nurse, "I'm leaving now. I have to be home by
5:00 PM because dinner will be ready." Which of the following responses by the nurse
demonstrates the use of validation therapy?
A. "It it 5:30 PM now. You are in the hospital and we will bring you dinner soon."
B. "Don't worry about dinner. Your father is bringing dinner here for you tonight."
C. "At home, you had dinner at 5:00 PM. Was your father a good cook?"
D. "Your father was born around the year 1920. Can you tell me what year it is now?" -
Answer ✓✓"At home, you had dinner at 5:00 PM. Was your father a good cook?"
*This response validates the client's feelings and redirects the conversation to another topic
so that the client can talk about personal memories. Validation therapy does not attempt to
orient the client to reality but instead recognizes the underlying feelings expressed by the
client and then redirects the conversation
A nurse is caring for a client who has anxiety disorder. The client states that she forgot her
partner's birthday after they had an argument. The nurse recognizes this action as which of
the following defense mechanisms?
A+ 1
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
A. Repression
B. Splitting
C. Conversion
D. Projection - Answer ✓✓Repression
*The nurse should identify that the client forgetting her partner's birthday following an
argument is an example of repression. Repression is an unconscious exclusion of unpleasant
or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness
A nurse in the emergency department is assessing a client who has generalized anxiety
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Instruct the client to use guided imagery
B. Move the client to a quiet area
C. Assist the client in identifying his coping skills
D. Allow the client time to express his feelings - Answer ✓✓Move the client to a quiet area
*The greatest risk to this client is increased anxiety; therefore, the nurse should first move the
client to a quiet area to decrease excessive stimuli
A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a group of clients. Which of the following
interventions is the priority for the nurse to include?
A. Offer high-calorie beverages to a client who is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder
B. Practice relaxation techniques with a client who has anxiety disorder
C. Assist a client who has depressive disorder with decision-making regarding group activities
A+ 2
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
D. Reinforcing teaching to a client who has schizophrenia about a new prescription for
clozapine - Answer ✓✓Offer high-calorie beverages to a client who is in the manic phase of
bipolar disorder
*Maslow's hierarchy of needs; therefore, the priority intervention is to offer the client high-
calorie beverages. This intervention will help the client meet daily calorie requirements and
prevent dehydration
A nurse is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder. After the client is prescribed lithium, his
adult child states, "I'm upset that my father is taking this medication." Which of the following
responses should the nurse make?
A. "It will be alright. You father's provider knows what she is doing."
B. "You should be more concerned about your father's mania, which puts him at risk for
injury."
C. "Tell me what worries you have about your father taking this medication."
D. "This is an important medication that will treat your father's condition." - Answer ✓✓"Tell
me what worries you have about your father taking this medication."
*This response is therapeutic because it attempts to clarify the family member's concerns and
focuses the conversation on the current topic
A nurse is assisting with the planning of a staff education session about the administration of
antidepressant medications to older adult clients. Which of the following pieces of
information should the nurse recommend including?
A. Older adult clients require a lower initial dose of antidepressant medication than adult
clients
B. Older adult client should not receive antidepressant medication
A+ 3
, ATI Capstone Mental Health Exam
C. Older adult clients achieve the therapeutic effects of antidepressant medications more
quickly than adult clients
D. Older adult clients have a decreased risk of adverse effects from antidepressant medication
- Answer ✓✓Older adult clients require a lower initial dose of antidepressant medication than
adult clients
*Older adult clients should start at half of the adult dose for antidepressant medications. This
is due to altered rates of absorption and the increased risk of adverse effects
A nurse in a mental health unit is contributing to the plan of care for a client who is receiving
treatment for self-inflicted injuries. Which of the following interventions is the priority for this
client?
A. Promoting and maintaining client safety
B. Discussing reasons for the client's behavior
C. Helping the client recognize feelings
D. Reinforcing teaching with the client about alternative coping strategies - Answer
✓✓Promoting and maintaining client safety
*The nurse should recognize that this client has self-inflicted injuries is at risk of further self-
harm or suicide; therefore, the client's safety is the priority.
A nurse is assisting with the admission of a client to an acute-care mental health facility
following a suicide attempt. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Assess the client's level of self-esteem
B. Document the client's mood and affect
C. Attend an interdisciplinary team meeting
A+ 4
