2025 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
2025 RN Mental Health Final Exam
1. A nursing student new to psychiatric-mental health nursing asks a peer what resources
he can use to figure out which symptoms are present in a specific psychiatric disorder. The
best answer would be:
a. Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC)
b. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
c. NANDA-I nursing diagnoses
d. DSM-5
2. Epidemiological studies contribute to improvements in care for individuals with
mental disorders by:
a. Providing information about effective nursing techniques.
b. Identifying risk factors that contribute to the development of a disorder.
c. Identifying individuals in the general population who will develop a specific
disorder.
d. Identifying which individuals will respond favorably to a specific treatment.
3. Besides antianxiety agents, which classification of drugs is also commonly given
to treat anxiety and anxiety disorders?
a. Antipsychotics
b. Mood stabilizers
c. Antidepressants
d. Cholinesterase inhibitors
4. What assessment question will provide the nurse with information regarding the effects of
a
woman9s circadian rhythms on her quality of life?
a. <How much sleep do you usually get each night?=
b. <Does your heart ever seem to skip a beat?=
c. <When was the last time you had a fever?=
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
d. <Do you have problems urinating?=
5. You realize that your patient who is being treated for a major depressive disorder requires
more teaching when she makes the following statement:
a. <I have been on this antidepressant for 3 days. I realize that the full effect may not
happen for a period of weeks.=
b. <I am going to ask my nurse practitioner to discontinue my Prozac today and let me
start taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor tomorrow.=
c. <I may ask to have my medication changed to Wellbutrin due to the problems I am
having being romantic with my wife.=
d. <I realize that there are many antidepressants and it might take a while until we find the
one that works best for me.=
6. A patient being treated for insomnia is prescribed ramel-teon (Rozerem). Which comorbid
mental health condition would make this medication the hypnotic of choice for this particular
patient?
a. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
b. Generalized anxiety disorder
c. Persistent depressive disorder
d. Substance use disorder
7. Which statement made by a patient prescribed bupropion (Wellbutrin) demonstrates that the
medication education the patient received was effective? Select all that apply.
a. <I hope Wellbutrin will help my depression and also help me to finally quit smoking.=
b. <I9m happy to hear that I won9t need to worry too much about weight gain.=
c. <It9s okay to take Wellbutrin since I haven9t had a seizure in 6 months.=
d. <I need to be careful about driving since the medication could make me drowsy.=
e. <My partner and I have discussed the possible effects this medication could have on
our sex life.=
8. Which drug group calls for nursing assessment for development of abnormal movement
disorders among individuals who take therapeutic dosages?
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
a. SSRIs
b. antipsychotics
c. benzodiazepines
d. tricyclic antidepressants
9. The nurse administers each of the following drugs to various patients. The patient who should
be most carefully assessed for fluid and electrolyte imbalance is the one receiving:
a. lithium (Eskalith)
b. clozapine (Clozaril)
c. diazepam (Valium)
d. amitriptyline
10. A psychiatric nurse is reviewing prescriptions for a patient with major depression at the
county clinic. Since the patient has a mild intellectual disability, the nurse would question which
classification of antidepressant drugs:
a. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
b. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
c. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
d. All of the above
11. The mental health team is determining treatment options for a male patient who is
experiencing psychotic symptoms. Which question(s) should the team answer to determine
whether a community outpatient or inpatient setting is most appropriate? Select all that apply.
a. <Is the patient expressing suicidal thoughts?=
b. <Does the patient have intact judgment and insight into his situation?=
c. <Does the patient have experiences with either community or inpatient mental
healthcare facilities?=
d. <Does the patient require a therapeutic environment to support the management of
psychotic symptoms?=
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
e. <Does the patient require the regular involvement of their family/significant other in
planning and executing the plan of care?=
12. Pablo is a homeless adult who has no family connection. Pablo passed out on the street and
emergency medical services took him to the hospital where he expresses a wish to die. The
physician recognizes evidence of substance use problems and mental health issues and
recommends inpatient treatment for Pablo. What is the rationale for this treatment choice? Select
all that apply.
a. Intermittent supervision is available in inpatient settings.
b. He requires stabilization of multiple symptoms.
c. He has nutritional and self-care needs.
d. Medication adherence will be mandated.
e. He is in imminent danger of harming himself.
1. Which statement made by the nurse demonstrates the best understanding of nonverbal
communication?
a. <The patient9s verbal and nonverbal communication is often different.=
b. <When my patient responds to my question, I check for congruence between verbal and
nonverbal communication to help validate the response.=
c. <If a patient is slumped in the chair, I can be sure he9s angry or depressed.=
d. <It9s easier to understand verbal communication that nonverbal communication.=
2. Which nursing statement is an example of reflection?
a. <I think this feeling will pass.=
b. <So you are saying that life has no meaning.=
c. <I9m not sure I understand what you mean.=
d. <You look sad.=
3. When should a nurse be most alert to the possibility of communication errors resulting in harm
to the patient?
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2025 RN Mental Health Final Exam
1. A nursing student new to psychiatric-mental health nursing asks a peer what resources
he can use to figure out which symptoms are present in a specific psychiatric disorder. The
best answer would be:
a. Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC)
b. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
c. NANDA-I nursing diagnoses
d. DSM-5
2. Epidemiological studies contribute to improvements in care for individuals with
mental disorders by:
a. Providing information about effective nursing techniques.
b. Identifying risk factors that contribute to the development of a disorder.
c. Identifying individuals in the general population who will develop a specific
disorder.
d. Identifying which individuals will respond favorably to a specific treatment.
3. Besides antianxiety agents, which classification of drugs is also commonly given
to treat anxiety and anxiety disorders?
a. Antipsychotics
b. Mood stabilizers
c. Antidepressants
d. Cholinesterase inhibitors
4. What assessment question will provide the nurse with information regarding the effects of
a
woman9s circadian rhythms on her quality of life?
a. <How much sleep do you usually get each night?=
b. <Does your heart ever seem to skip a beat?=
c. <When was the last time you had a fever?=
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
d. <Do you have problems urinating?=
5. You realize that your patient who is being treated for a major depressive disorder requires
more teaching when she makes the following statement:
a. <I have been on this antidepressant for 3 days. I realize that the full effect may not
happen for a period of weeks.=
b. <I am going to ask my nurse practitioner to discontinue my Prozac today and let me
start taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor tomorrow.=
c. <I may ask to have my medication changed to Wellbutrin due to the problems I am
having being romantic with my wife.=
d. <I realize that there are many antidepressants and it might take a while until we find the
one that works best for me.=
6. A patient being treated for insomnia is prescribed ramel-teon (Rozerem). Which comorbid
mental health condition would make this medication the hypnotic of choice for this particular
patient?
a. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
b. Generalized anxiety disorder
c. Persistent depressive disorder
d. Substance use disorder
7. Which statement made by a patient prescribed bupropion (Wellbutrin) demonstrates that the
medication education the patient received was effective? Select all that apply.
a. <I hope Wellbutrin will help my depression and also help me to finally quit smoking.=
b. <I9m happy to hear that I won9t need to worry too much about weight gain.=
c. <It9s okay to take Wellbutrin since I haven9t had a seizure in 6 months.=
d. <I need to be careful about driving since the medication could make me drowsy.=
e. <My partner and I have discussed the possible effects this medication could have on
our sex life.=
8. Which drug group calls for nursing assessment for development of abnormal movement
disorders among individuals who take therapeutic dosages?
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
a. SSRIs
b. antipsychotics
c. benzodiazepines
d. tricyclic antidepressants
9. The nurse administers each of the following drugs to various patients. The patient who should
be most carefully assessed for fluid and electrolyte imbalance is the one receiving:
a. lithium (Eskalith)
b. clozapine (Clozaril)
c. diazepam (Valium)
d. amitriptyline
10. A psychiatric nurse is reviewing prescriptions for a patient with major depression at the
county clinic. Since the patient has a mild intellectual disability, the nurse would question which
classification of antidepressant drugs:
a. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
b. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
c. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
d. All of the above
11. The mental health team is determining treatment options for a male patient who is
experiencing psychotic symptoms. Which question(s) should the team answer to determine
whether a community outpatient or inpatient setting is most appropriate? Select all that apply.
a. <Is the patient expressing suicidal thoughts?=
b. <Does the patient have intact judgment and insight into his situation?=
c. <Does the patient have experiences with either community or inpatient mental
healthcare facilities?=
d. <Does the patient require a therapeutic environment to support the management of
psychotic symptoms?=
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, 2023 RN Mental Health Final Exam A+
e. <Does the patient require the regular involvement of their family/significant other in
planning and executing the plan of care?=
12. Pablo is a homeless adult who has no family connection. Pablo passed out on the street and
emergency medical services took him to the hospital where he expresses a wish to die. The
physician recognizes evidence of substance use problems and mental health issues and
recommends inpatient treatment for Pablo. What is the rationale for this treatment choice? Select
all that apply.
a. Intermittent supervision is available in inpatient settings.
b. He requires stabilization of multiple symptoms.
c. He has nutritional and self-care needs.
d. Medication adherence will be mandated.
e. He is in imminent danger of harming himself.
1. Which statement made by the nurse demonstrates the best understanding of nonverbal
communication?
a. <The patient9s verbal and nonverbal communication is often different.=
b. <When my patient responds to my question, I check for congruence between verbal and
nonverbal communication to help validate the response.=
c. <If a patient is slumped in the chair, I can be sure he9s angry or depressed.=
d. <It9s easier to understand verbal communication that nonverbal communication.=
2. Which nursing statement is an example of reflection?
a. <I think this feeling will pass.=
b. <So you are saying that life has no meaning.=
c. <I9m not sure I understand what you mean.=
d. <You look sad.=
3. When should a nurse be most alert to the possibility of communication errors resulting in harm
to the patient?
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