Maryville NR 327 Mental Health
Nursing Exam 1 With Actual 120
Questions & Verified Answers,Plus
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed Pass Graded A+/
2025/2026 /Latest Update/Instant
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1. A client is pacing and wringing their hands, stating, “I can’t calm down.” The nurse
recognizes these as signs of which level of anxiety?
a. Mild
b. Moderate
c. Severe
d. Panic
c. Severe
Severe anxiety manifests with physical symptoms such as pacing, wringing hands,
and difficulty focusing. Panic involves complete disorganization.
2. A client states, “The CIA is spying on me through my television.” This is an example of
which thought disturbance?
a. Hallucination
b. Illusion
c. Delusion of grandeur
d. Delusion of persecution
d. Delusion of persecution
Delusions of persecution involve beliefs of being harmed or watched, such as
thinking the CIA is spying.
3. Which nursing intervention is most therapeutic when communicating with a client
experiencing auditory hallucinations?
a. Agreeing with the hallucination
b. Telling the client to ignore the voices
, c. Asking, “What are the voices saying to you?”
d. Reinforcing reality and redirecting conversation
d. Reinforcing reality and redirecting conversation
Reinforcing reality without validating the hallucination helps the client remain
grounded while reducing reinforcement of the false perception.
4. A client with schizophrenia demonstrates echolalia. Which behavior would the nurse
observe?
a. Repeating another person’s words
b. Creating made-up words
c. Speaking in rhymes
d. Shifting topics rapidly
a. Repeating another person’s words
Echolalia is repetition of another person’s speech. Neologisms are made-up words.
5. A client says, “I’m worthless. Nothing I do matters.” Which nursing response is
therapeutic?
a. “That’s not true. You’re a good person.”
b. “Why do you feel this way?”
c. “Tell me more about feeling worthless.”
d. “You should focus on your positive qualities.”
c. “Tell me more about feeling worthless.”
This open-ended response encourages expression and exploration of feelings
without judgment.
6. A nurse is planning care for a client with depression. Which intervention is most
appropriate?
a. Encourage group activities immediately
b. Provide short, frequent interactions
c. Avoid discussing feelings until mood improves
d. Promote independence by limiting assistance
b. Provide short, frequent interactions
Clients with depression may have limited energy and concentration. Short,
consistent contacts build trust.
7. The priority nursing action for a client expressing suicidal ideation with a specific plan
is to:
a. Notify the healthcare provider
b. Place the client on one-to-one observation
c. Explore the reasons for suicidal thoughts
d. Remove sharp objects from the room
b. Place the client on one-to-one observation
Safety is the top priority when a client has suicidal ideation with a plan.
, 8. Which neurotransmitter imbalance is most associated with schizophrenia?
a. Decreased serotonin
b. Increased dopamine
c. Decreased norepinephrine
d. Increased acetylcholine
b. Increased dopamine
Excess dopamine activity is strongly linked to schizophrenia symptoms.
9. A client with bipolar disorder presents with pressured speech and flight of ideas.
Which phase of the disorder is this?
a. Depressive
b. Hypomanic
c. Manic
d. Mixed
c. Manic
Manic episodes are characterized by pressured speech, rapid thoughts, and
increased energy.
10. When setting limits with a client in a manic episode, the nurse should:
a. Use firm, calm statements
b. Allow the client full autonomy
c. Avoid addressing inappropriate behaviors
d. Ignore the client’s demands
a. Use firm, calm statements
Manic clients require clear, consistent, calm limit-setting to maintain safety and
structure.
11. A nurse observes a client sitting silently and motionless for hours, occasionally
holding unusual postures. This is consistent with which condition?
a. Catatonia
b. Paranoia
c. Echopraxia
d. Neologisms
a. Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of immobility or extreme posturing, often seen in
schizophrenia.
12. A client states, “I feel like I’m outside my body watching myself.” This describes:
a. Derealization
b. Depersonalization
c. Dissociation
d. Hallucination
b. Depersonalization
Nursing Exam 1 With Actual 120
Questions & Verified Answers,Plus
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed Pass Graded A+/
2025/2026 /Latest Update/Instant
Download Pdf
1. A client is pacing and wringing their hands, stating, “I can’t calm down.” The nurse
recognizes these as signs of which level of anxiety?
a. Mild
b. Moderate
c. Severe
d. Panic
c. Severe
Severe anxiety manifests with physical symptoms such as pacing, wringing hands,
and difficulty focusing. Panic involves complete disorganization.
2. A client states, “The CIA is spying on me through my television.” This is an example of
which thought disturbance?
a. Hallucination
b. Illusion
c. Delusion of grandeur
d. Delusion of persecution
d. Delusion of persecution
Delusions of persecution involve beliefs of being harmed or watched, such as
thinking the CIA is spying.
3. Which nursing intervention is most therapeutic when communicating with a client
experiencing auditory hallucinations?
a. Agreeing with the hallucination
b. Telling the client to ignore the voices
, c. Asking, “What are the voices saying to you?”
d. Reinforcing reality and redirecting conversation
d. Reinforcing reality and redirecting conversation
Reinforcing reality without validating the hallucination helps the client remain
grounded while reducing reinforcement of the false perception.
4. A client with schizophrenia demonstrates echolalia. Which behavior would the nurse
observe?
a. Repeating another person’s words
b. Creating made-up words
c. Speaking in rhymes
d. Shifting topics rapidly
a. Repeating another person’s words
Echolalia is repetition of another person’s speech. Neologisms are made-up words.
5. A client says, “I’m worthless. Nothing I do matters.” Which nursing response is
therapeutic?
a. “That’s not true. You’re a good person.”
b. “Why do you feel this way?”
c. “Tell me more about feeling worthless.”
d. “You should focus on your positive qualities.”
c. “Tell me more about feeling worthless.”
This open-ended response encourages expression and exploration of feelings
without judgment.
6. A nurse is planning care for a client with depression. Which intervention is most
appropriate?
a. Encourage group activities immediately
b. Provide short, frequent interactions
c. Avoid discussing feelings until mood improves
d. Promote independence by limiting assistance
b. Provide short, frequent interactions
Clients with depression may have limited energy and concentration. Short,
consistent contacts build trust.
7. The priority nursing action for a client expressing suicidal ideation with a specific plan
is to:
a. Notify the healthcare provider
b. Place the client on one-to-one observation
c. Explore the reasons for suicidal thoughts
d. Remove sharp objects from the room
b. Place the client on one-to-one observation
Safety is the top priority when a client has suicidal ideation with a plan.
, 8. Which neurotransmitter imbalance is most associated with schizophrenia?
a. Decreased serotonin
b. Increased dopamine
c. Decreased norepinephrine
d. Increased acetylcholine
b. Increased dopamine
Excess dopamine activity is strongly linked to schizophrenia symptoms.
9. A client with bipolar disorder presents with pressured speech and flight of ideas.
Which phase of the disorder is this?
a. Depressive
b. Hypomanic
c. Manic
d. Mixed
c. Manic
Manic episodes are characterized by pressured speech, rapid thoughts, and
increased energy.
10. When setting limits with a client in a manic episode, the nurse should:
a. Use firm, calm statements
b. Allow the client full autonomy
c. Avoid addressing inappropriate behaviors
d. Ignore the client’s demands
a. Use firm, calm statements
Manic clients require clear, consistent, calm limit-setting to maintain safety and
structure.
11. A nurse observes a client sitting silently and motionless for hours, occasionally
holding unusual postures. This is consistent with which condition?
a. Catatonia
b. Paranoia
c. Echopraxia
d. Neologisms
a. Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of immobility or extreme posturing, often seen in
schizophrenia.
12. A client states, “I feel like I’m outside my body watching myself.” This describes:
a. Derealization
b. Depersonalization
c. Dissociation
d. Hallucination
b. Depersonalization
