PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
2025 PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING, MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
CHAPTER 1-10, CONTEMPORARY
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING (Rationales) PSYCHIATRIC
NURSING - PRELIMS, MIDTERM exam
A nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following
statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To check cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7."
B. "To check affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To check language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To check remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects." –
A+ TEST BANK 1
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
Correct Answer :D
D. CORRECT: This statement requires further teaching. Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is
appropriate to check immediate, rather than remote, memory.
A. INCORRECT: This statement does not require further teaching. Counting backward by 7 is an
appropriate technique to check a client's cognitive ability. B. INCORRECT: This statement does not require
further teaching. Observing a client's facial expression is appropriate when checking affect. C.
INCORRECT: This statement does not require further teaching. Writing a sentence is an indication of
language ability.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is assisting in the planning of care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the
following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Encourage the client to use appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Evaluate the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications. –
Correct Answer :D
D. CORRECT: Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological
intervention.
A. INCORRECT: Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral, rather than
psychobiological, intervention. B. INCORRECT: Encouraging appropriate coping mechanisms is a
counseling or health teaching, rather than a psychobiological intervention. C. INCORRECT: Evaluating for
comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance, rather than a psychobiological
intervention.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A+ TEST BANK 2
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview. When
conducting the interview, which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Reinforce teaching about the client's mental health disorder. –
Correct Answer :B
B. CORRECT: Data collection is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care.
Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status provides important information about the
client's psychosocial history.
A. INCORRECT: It is appropriate to respect the client's need for personal space. However, it is not the
highest priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care. C. INCORRECT: If the
client wishes, it is appropriate to include the client's family in the interview. However, it is not the highest
priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care. D. INCORRECT: It is appropriate to
reinforce teaching for the client about her disorder. However, it is not the highest priority action when
taking the nursing process approach to client care. CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When collecting data from the
client, which of the following is an expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place. –
Correct Answer :A
A. CORRECT: A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
A+ TEST BANK 3
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
B. INCORRECT: A GCS score of less than 7 indicates a comatose, rather than stuporous, level of
consciousness. C. INCORRECT: Abnormal posturing is associated with a comatose, rather than stuporous,
level of consciousness. D. INCORRECT: A client who is stuporous is not alert.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is assisting with the planning of a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following is appropriate to include in the
discussion?
(Select all that apply.)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 is used to assist in the planning of care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected data collection findings. –
Correct Answer :A, B, D, E
A. CORRECT: The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool to identify mental health diagnoses. B. CORRECT: The
DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for mental health disorders. D. CORRECT: Nurses use the DSM-5 to
assist in the planning of care, and to implement and evaluate care. E. CORRECT: The DSM-5 identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
C. INCORRECT: The DSM-5 is a diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of mental health disorders but does not
indicate pharmacological treatment.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is discussing candidates for emergency admission to a mental health facility with a newly licensed
nurse. Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental
health facility?
A. A client who has schizophrenia and has frequent hallucinations
B. A client who has symptoms of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
A+ TEST BANK 4
NURSING
2025 PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING, MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
CHAPTER 1-10, CONTEMPORARY
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING (Rationales) PSYCHIATRIC
NURSING - PRELIMS, MIDTERM exam
A nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following
statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To check cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7."
B. "To check affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To check language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To check remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects." –
A+ TEST BANK 1
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
Correct Answer :D
D. CORRECT: This statement requires further teaching. Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is
appropriate to check immediate, rather than remote, memory.
A. INCORRECT: This statement does not require further teaching. Counting backward by 7 is an
appropriate technique to check a client's cognitive ability. B. INCORRECT: This statement does not require
further teaching. Observing a client's facial expression is appropriate when checking affect. C.
INCORRECT: This statement does not require further teaching. Writing a sentence is an indication of
language ability.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is assisting in the planning of care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the
following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Encourage the client to use appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Evaluate the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications. –
Correct Answer :D
D. CORRECT: Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological
intervention.
A. INCORRECT: Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral, rather than
psychobiological, intervention. B. INCORRECT: Encouraging appropriate coping mechanisms is a
counseling or health teaching, rather than a psychobiological intervention. C. INCORRECT: Evaluating for
comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance, rather than a psychobiological
intervention.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A+ TEST BANK 2
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview. When
conducting the interview, which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Reinforce teaching about the client's mental health disorder. –
Correct Answer :B
B. CORRECT: Data collection is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care.
Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status provides important information about the
client's psychosocial history.
A. INCORRECT: It is appropriate to respect the client's need for personal space. However, it is not the
highest priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care. C. INCORRECT: If the
client wishes, it is appropriate to include the client's family in the interview. However, it is not the highest
priority action when taking the nursing process approach to client care. D. INCORRECT: It is appropriate to
reinforce teaching for the client about her disorder. However, it is not the highest priority action when
taking the nursing process approach to client care. CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When collecting data from the
client, which of the following is an expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place. –
Correct Answer :A
A. CORRECT: A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
A+ TEST BANK 3
, PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING
B. INCORRECT: A GCS score of less than 7 indicates a comatose, rather than stuporous, level of
consciousness. C. INCORRECT: Abnormal posturing is associated with a comatose, rather than stuporous,
level of consciousness. D. INCORRECT: A client who is stuporous is not alert.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is assisting with the planning of a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following is appropriate to include in the
discussion?
(Select all that apply.)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 is used to assist in the planning of care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected data collection findings. –
Correct Answer :A, B, D, E
A. CORRECT: The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool to identify mental health diagnoses. B. CORRECT: The
DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for mental health disorders. D. CORRECT: Nurses use the DSM-5 to
assist in the planning of care, and to implement and evaluate care. E. CORRECT: The DSM-5 identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
C. INCORRECT: The DSM-5 is a diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of mental health disorders but does not
indicate pharmacological treatment.
CHAPTER 1 Basic Mental Health Nursing Concepts
A nurse is discussing candidates for emergency admission to a mental health facility with a newly licensed
nurse. Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental
health facility?
A. A client who has schizophrenia and has frequent hallucinations
B. A client who has symptoms of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
A+ TEST BANK 4
