N322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 Practice Questions
With Complete Solutions
Foundational Concepts & Therapeutic Communication,
Depression/Suicide, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia ATI
Assessments; End of Chapter Review Questions from the
Textbook
A 28 y/o second-grade teacher is diagnosed with major
depressive disorder. She grew up in Texas but moved to Alaska
10 years ago to separate from an abusive mother. Her father died
by suicide when she was 12 years old. Which combination of
factors in this scenario best demonstrates the stress-diathesis
model?
A. Cold climate coupled with history of abuse
B. Current age of 28 coupled with family history of depression
C. Family history of mental illness coupled with history of abuse
D. Female gender coupled with the stressful profession of
teaching Correct Answers C. Family history of mental illness
coupled with history of abuse
A 55-year-old lives 100 miles from her parents and mother-in-
law. In the past year, her father had back surgery, her mother
broke her hip and her mother-in-law had a cardiac event. Which
nursing diagnosis is most applicable to the 55-year-old?
A. Risk for complicated grieving related to impending deaths of
parents
B. Risk for injury related to frequent long drives to care for
aging parents
,C. Risk for chronic low self-esteem related to overwhelming
responsibilities
D. Risk for caregiver role strain related to responsibilities for
care of aging parents Correct Answers D. Risk for caregiver
role strain related to responsibilities for care of aging parents
A charge nurse is admitting a client who has bipolar disorder
and who is in the manic phase. Which of the following room
assignments should the nurse give the client?
A. A semi-private room across from the day room.
B. A private room in a quiet location on the unit.
C. A private room across from the exercise room.
D. A semi-private room across from the snack area. Correct
Answers B. A private room in a quiet location on the unit.
Rationale: A private room decreases stimuli for the client and
does not subject another client to his overactive behavior.
A charge nurse is conducting a staff education in-service about
depressive disorders. Which of the following should the nurse
identify as a risk factor for depression?
A. Being married
B. Pregnancy
C. Male gender
D. Chronic illness Correct Answers D. Chronic illness
Rationale: Having a medical illness, especially one that is
chronic, is a primary risk factor for depression.
,A charge nurse is discussing suicide interventions with nursing
staff. Which of the following should the nurse identify as an
example of secondary intervention?
A. Providing support for family and friends following a suicide
B. Identifying individuals who are at higher risk for attempting
suicide
C. Recognizing the warning signs of suicide
D. Performing life-saving measures following a suicide attempt
Correct Answers D. Performing life-saving measures following
a suicide attempt
Rationale: The first statement is an example of tertiary
intervention. The second and third statements are both examples
of primary intervention.
A charge nurse is providing teaching to a staff nurse about
assisting the provider with ECT. Which of the following
responses by the staff nurse indicates understanding of the
teaching?
A. "ECT is an effective treatment for personality disorders."
B. "I should monitor the client closely for hypotension following
ECT."
C. "Informed consent should be obtained prior to ECT."
D. "It is a myth that clients experience seizures during ECT."
Correct Answers C. "Informed consent should be obtained
prior to ECT."
Rationale: ECT is effective in the treatment of depression rather
than personality disorders. The client is at risk for hypertension,
, rather than hypotension, following ECT. Clients experience
induced seizures during ECT; however, the use of medications
limits the severity.
A charge nurse overhears another nurse talking with a client
who has schizophrenia. Suddenly the client yells, "I am the
devil! I am God! Open the gate for me!" Which of the following
replies by the nurse requires intervention?
A. "It sounds frightening to feel like both God and the devil at
the same time."
B. "I don't understand. Can you tell me what that means?"
C. "Are you saying that you are both good and bad?"
D. "There is no gate for me to open." Correct Answers D.
"There is no gate for me to open."
Rationale: This reply can be viewed as argumentative by the
client and is nontherapeutic for communicating with a client
who is experiencing a delusion.
A client at 36 weeks gestation has just delivered a stillborn baby.
Which of the following statements should the nurse make?
A. "I understand your grief. I lost a baby also."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
C. "I have called for the chaplain to come and stay with you."
D. "This is for the best. Your baby was very ill." Correct
Answers B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
With Complete Solutions
Foundational Concepts & Therapeutic Communication,
Depression/Suicide, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia ATI
Assessments; End of Chapter Review Questions from the
Textbook
A 28 y/o second-grade teacher is diagnosed with major
depressive disorder. She grew up in Texas but moved to Alaska
10 years ago to separate from an abusive mother. Her father died
by suicide when she was 12 years old. Which combination of
factors in this scenario best demonstrates the stress-diathesis
model?
A. Cold climate coupled with history of abuse
B. Current age of 28 coupled with family history of depression
C. Family history of mental illness coupled with history of abuse
D. Female gender coupled with the stressful profession of
teaching Correct Answers C. Family history of mental illness
coupled with history of abuse
A 55-year-old lives 100 miles from her parents and mother-in-
law. In the past year, her father had back surgery, her mother
broke her hip and her mother-in-law had a cardiac event. Which
nursing diagnosis is most applicable to the 55-year-old?
A. Risk for complicated grieving related to impending deaths of
parents
B. Risk for injury related to frequent long drives to care for
aging parents
,C. Risk for chronic low self-esteem related to overwhelming
responsibilities
D. Risk for caregiver role strain related to responsibilities for
care of aging parents Correct Answers D. Risk for caregiver
role strain related to responsibilities for care of aging parents
A charge nurse is admitting a client who has bipolar disorder
and who is in the manic phase. Which of the following room
assignments should the nurse give the client?
A. A semi-private room across from the day room.
B. A private room in a quiet location on the unit.
C. A private room across from the exercise room.
D. A semi-private room across from the snack area. Correct
Answers B. A private room in a quiet location on the unit.
Rationale: A private room decreases stimuli for the client and
does not subject another client to his overactive behavior.
A charge nurse is conducting a staff education in-service about
depressive disorders. Which of the following should the nurse
identify as a risk factor for depression?
A. Being married
B. Pregnancy
C. Male gender
D. Chronic illness Correct Answers D. Chronic illness
Rationale: Having a medical illness, especially one that is
chronic, is a primary risk factor for depression.
,A charge nurse is discussing suicide interventions with nursing
staff. Which of the following should the nurse identify as an
example of secondary intervention?
A. Providing support for family and friends following a suicide
B. Identifying individuals who are at higher risk for attempting
suicide
C. Recognizing the warning signs of suicide
D. Performing life-saving measures following a suicide attempt
Correct Answers D. Performing life-saving measures following
a suicide attempt
Rationale: The first statement is an example of tertiary
intervention. The second and third statements are both examples
of primary intervention.
A charge nurse is providing teaching to a staff nurse about
assisting the provider with ECT. Which of the following
responses by the staff nurse indicates understanding of the
teaching?
A. "ECT is an effective treatment for personality disorders."
B. "I should monitor the client closely for hypotension following
ECT."
C. "Informed consent should be obtained prior to ECT."
D. "It is a myth that clients experience seizures during ECT."
Correct Answers C. "Informed consent should be obtained
prior to ECT."
Rationale: ECT is effective in the treatment of depression rather
than personality disorders. The client is at risk for hypertension,
, rather than hypotension, following ECT. Clients experience
induced seizures during ECT; however, the use of medications
limits the severity.
A charge nurse overhears another nurse talking with a client
who has schizophrenia. Suddenly the client yells, "I am the
devil! I am God! Open the gate for me!" Which of the following
replies by the nurse requires intervention?
A. "It sounds frightening to feel like both God and the devil at
the same time."
B. "I don't understand. Can you tell me what that means?"
C. "Are you saying that you are both good and bad?"
D. "There is no gate for me to open." Correct Answers D.
"There is no gate for me to open."
Rationale: This reply can be viewed as argumentative by the
client and is nontherapeutic for communicating with a client
who is experiencing a delusion.
A client at 36 weeks gestation has just delivered a stillborn baby.
Which of the following statements should the nurse make?
A. "I understand your grief. I lost a baby also."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
C. "I have called for the chaplain to come and stay with you."
D. "This is for the best. Your baby was very ill." Correct
Answers B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
