ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH PROCTOR EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A nurse is planning 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? (SATA)
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 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing - ANSWER A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by nurses to plan,
implement, and evaluate care, and identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental
health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Ex - ANSWER C. A client with
borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for emergency
commitment.
,A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in
order to protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me."
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic
communication to convince him to admit to holding the knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate closely.
C. - ANSWER C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns
the health and safety of the client and others.
The information cannot be kept confidential and the client must be informed that this will be
reported to the health care staff.
• This is a serious safety issue that must be reported to the staff. Using the principle of veracity,
the student tells this client truthfully what must be done regarding the issue.
A charge 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 assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objec - ANSWER D. "To
assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather than
remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning 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. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER D. Monitor
the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
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. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER *B. Identify
the client's perception of her mental health status.*
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach. Identifying the
client's perception of her mental health status provides important information about the client's
psychosocial history.
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client,
which of the following is an expected finding?
, A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
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.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER *A. The client
arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A nurse decides to put a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight because the unit is very
short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. This is an example of:
A. beneficence.
B. a tort.
C. a facility policy.
D. justice.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises - ANSWER B. a tort.
Beneficence: doing good for a client.
Tort: a civil wrong that violates a client's civil rights.
If a policy, the facility would be in violation of federal and state statute, and the nurse could be
held responsible.
Justice: action involving the fair and equal treatment of clients.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A nurse is caring for a client in restraints. Which of the following statements are appropriate
documentation? (SATA)
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A nurse is planning 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? (SATA)
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 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing - ANSWER A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by nurses to plan,
implement, and evaluate care, and identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency admission to a mental
health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Ex - ANSWER C. A client with
borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for emergency
commitment.
,A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in
order to protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me."
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily, using therapeutic
communication to convince him to admit to holding the knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his roommate closely.
C. - ANSWER C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns
the health and safety of the client and others.
The information cannot be kept confidential and the client must be informed that this will be
reported to the health care staff.
• This is a serious safety issue that must be reported to the staff. Using the principle of veracity,
the student tells this client truthfully what must be done regarding the issue.
A charge 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 assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objec - ANSWER D. "To
assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather than
remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning 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. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER D. Monitor
the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
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. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER *B. Identify
the client's perception of her mental health status.*
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach. Identifying the
client's perception of her mental health status provides important information about the client's
psychosocial history.
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client,
which of the following is an expected finding?
, A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
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.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises - ANSWER *A. The client
arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A nurse decides to put a client who has psychosis in seclusion overnight because the unit is very
short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. This is an example of:
A. beneficence.
B. a tort.
C. a facility policy.
D. justice.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises - ANSWER B. a tort.
Beneficence: doing good for a client.
Tort: a civil wrong that violates a client's civil rights.
If a policy, the facility would be in violation of federal and state statute, and the nurse could be
held responsible.
Justice: action involving the fair and equal treatment of clients.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A nurse is caring for a client in restraints. Which of the following statements are appropriate
documentation? (SATA)
