Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing,
8th Edition – Morgan – Complete Test Bank
with Verified Answers & Rationales – All
Chapters
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
1. What is the primary goal of a psychiatric mental health nurse?
A) To cure the patient's mental illness.
B) To provide compassionate, evidence-based care that promotes mental health
and well-being.
C) To manage the patient's medications with no other intervention.
D) To ensure the patient complies with all medical advice.
Answer: B) To provide compassionate, evidence-based care that promotes
mental health and well-being.
2. The concept of "recovery" in modern psychiatric care is best defined as:
A) The complete absence of psychiatric symptoms.
B) A process of change through which individuals improve their health and
wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
C) Being able to hold down a full-time job.
D) No longer requiring any form of medication or therapy.
Answer: B) A process of change through which individuals improve their health
and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
3. Which of the following is a key principle of the Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
approach?
A) Asking "What's wrong with you?"
B) Avoiding discussion of past traumatic events at all costs.
C) Realizing the widespread impact of trauma and understanding paths for
,recovery.
D) Focusing solely on present behaviors.
Answer: C) Realizing the widespread impact of trauma and understanding paths
for recovery.
Chapter 2: Legal and Ethical Issues
4. A patient with schizophrenia who is refusing antipsychotic medication is alert
and oriented but states, "I don't like the side effects." Under which circumstance
can the nurse legally administer the medication against the patient's will?
A) The nurse believes the medication is necessary.
B) The patient's family insists on it.
C) The patient has a legal guardian who consents to treatment.
D) The patient is an immediate danger to self or others and is under a specific
legal hold.
Answer: D) The patient is an immediate danger to self or others and is under a
specific legal hold.
5. The legal doctrine that requires a healthcare professional to warn a potential
victim of a patient's intent to harm is based on:
A) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
B) The Tarasoff ruling.
C) The Patient Self-Determination Act.
D) The doctrine of beneficence.
Answer: B) The Tarasoff ruling.
6. A patient's right to confidentiality can be breached ethically and legally in all
the following situations EXCEPT:
A) The patient threatens to harm a specific, identifiable person.
B) The patient describes childhood abuse, and is now a functioning 40-year-old
adult.
C) The patient discloses plans for suicide.
D) The patient describes abusing a child or vulnerable adult.
,Answer: B) The patient describes childhood abuse, and is now a functioning 40-
year-old adult.
7. Informed consent for treatment is considered invalid if:
A) The patient has a diagnosis of a mental illness.
B) The patient is experiencing significant symptoms of their disorder that impair
their judgment and understanding of the treatment.
C) The patient asks many questions before signing.
D) The patient is over the age of 65.
Answer: B) The patient is experiencing significant symptoms of their disorder
that impair their judgment and understanding of the treatment.
Chapter 3: Milieu Therapy & The Nurse-Client Relationship
8. The primary purpose of establishing boundaries in the nurse-patient
relationship is to:
A) Keep the patient at a safe emotional distance.
B) Ensure the relationship remains professional, therapeutic, and focused on the
patient's needs.
C) Make the nurse's job easier.
D) Prevent the patient from becoming too dependent.
Answer: B) Ensure the relationship remains professional, therapeutic, and
focused on the patient's needs.
9. During an orientation phase of a therapeutic relationship, the most important
nursing action is:
A) Solving the patient's primary problem.
B) Establishing trust and outlining the parameters of the relationship.
C) Conducting a thorough psychosocial assessment.
D) Terminating the relationship successfully.
Answer: B) Establishing trust and outlining the parameters of the relationship.
10. A patient gives the nurse a handmade gift. What is the nurse's best initial
response?
, A) Accept the gift graciously as it strengthens the relationship.
B) Refuse the gift as it violates professional boundaries.
C) Explore the meaning behind the gift with the patient before deciding whether
to accept it.
D) Report the incident to the charge nurse immediately.
Answer: C) Explore the meaning behind the gift with the patient before deciding
whether to accept it.
11. Milieu therapy refers to:
A) A specific type of group therapy.
B) The use of the total environment to promote therapeutic outcomes.
C) The practice of seclusion and restraint.
D) The decor and furniture of the inpatient unit.
Answer: B) The use of the total environment to promote therapeutic outcomes.
Chapter 4: Communication
12. A patient says, "I'm just so worthless. Nothing I do matters." Which response
by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
A) "That's not true. You're a valuable person."
B) "Tell me more about feeling worthless."
C) "You shouldn't feel that way. Look at all you've accomplished."
D) "I have to check on another patient now."
Answer: B) "Tell me more about feeling worthless."
13. Which statement is an example of a closed-ended question?
A) "How has your mood been this week?"
B) "Can you describe what the voices are saying to you?"
C) "Are you feeling sad?"
D) "What was it like when you first started feeling anxious?"
Answer: C) "Are you feeling sad?"
14. A nurse states, "You say you're angry, but you are smiling." This
communication technique is known as:
8th Edition – Morgan – Complete Test Bank
with Verified Answers & Rationales – All
Chapters
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
1. What is the primary goal of a psychiatric mental health nurse?
A) To cure the patient's mental illness.
B) To provide compassionate, evidence-based care that promotes mental health
and well-being.
C) To manage the patient's medications with no other intervention.
D) To ensure the patient complies with all medical advice.
Answer: B) To provide compassionate, evidence-based care that promotes
mental health and well-being.
2. The concept of "recovery" in modern psychiatric care is best defined as:
A) The complete absence of psychiatric symptoms.
B) A process of change through which individuals improve their health and
wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
C) Being able to hold down a full-time job.
D) No longer requiring any form of medication or therapy.
Answer: B) A process of change through which individuals improve their health
and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.
3. Which of the following is a key principle of the Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
approach?
A) Asking "What's wrong with you?"
B) Avoiding discussion of past traumatic events at all costs.
C) Realizing the widespread impact of trauma and understanding paths for
,recovery.
D) Focusing solely on present behaviors.
Answer: C) Realizing the widespread impact of trauma and understanding paths
for recovery.
Chapter 2: Legal and Ethical Issues
4. A patient with schizophrenia who is refusing antipsychotic medication is alert
and oriented but states, "I don't like the side effects." Under which circumstance
can the nurse legally administer the medication against the patient's will?
A) The nurse believes the medication is necessary.
B) The patient's family insists on it.
C) The patient has a legal guardian who consents to treatment.
D) The patient is an immediate danger to self or others and is under a specific
legal hold.
Answer: D) The patient is an immediate danger to self or others and is under a
specific legal hold.
5. The legal doctrine that requires a healthcare professional to warn a potential
victim of a patient's intent to harm is based on:
A) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
B) The Tarasoff ruling.
C) The Patient Self-Determination Act.
D) The doctrine of beneficence.
Answer: B) The Tarasoff ruling.
6. A patient's right to confidentiality can be breached ethically and legally in all
the following situations EXCEPT:
A) The patient threatens to harm a specific, identifiable person.
B) The patient describes childhood abuse, and is now a functioning 40-year-old
adult.
C) The patient discloses plans for suicide.
D) The patient describes abusing a child or vulnerable adult.
,Answer: B) The patient describes childhood abuse, and is now a functioning 40-
year-old adult.
7. Informed consent for treatment is considered invalid if:
A) The patient has a diagnosis of a mental illness.
B) The patient is experiencing significant symptoms of their disorder that impair
their judgment and understanding of the treatment.
C) The patient asks many questions before signing.
D) The patient is over the age of 65.
Answer: B) The patient is experiencing significant symptoms of their disorder
that impair their judgment and understanding of the treatment.
Chapter 3: Milieu Therapy & The Nurse-Client Relationship
8. The primary purpose of establishing boundaries in the nurse-patient
relationship is to:
A) Keep the patient at a safe emotional distance.
B) Ensure the relationship remains professional, therapeutic, and focused on the
patient's needs.
C) Make the nurse's job easier.
D) Prevent the patient from becoming too dependent.
Answer: B) Ensure the relationship remains professional, therapeutic, and
focused on the patient's needs.
9. During an orientation phase of a therapeutic relationship, the most important
nursing action is:
A) Solving the patient's primary problem.
B) Establishing trust and outlining the parameters of the relationship.
C) Conducting a thorough psychosocial assessment.
D) Terminating the relationship successfully.
Answer: B) Establishing trust and outlining the parameters of the relationship.
10. A patient gives the nurse a handmade gift. What is the nurse's best initial
response?
, A) Accept the gift graciously as it strengthens the relationship.
B) Refuse the gift as it violates professional boundaries.
C) Explore the meaning behind the gift with the patient before deciding whether
to accept it.
D) Report the incident to the charge nurse immediately.
Answer: C) Explore the meaning behind the gift with the patient before deciding
whether to accept it.
11. Milieu therapy refers to:
A) A specific type of group therapy.
B) The use of the total environment to promote therapeutic outcomes.
C) The practice of seclusion and restraint.
D) The decor and furniture of the inpatient unit.
Answer: B) The use of the total environment to promote therapeutic outcomes.
Chapter 4: Communication
12. A patient says, "I'm just so worthless. Nothing I do matters." Which response
by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
A) "That's not true. You're a valuable person."
B) "Tell me more about feeling worthless."
C) "You shouldn't feel that way. Look at all you've accomplished."
D) "I have to check on another patient now."
Answer: B) "Tell me more about feeling worthless."
13. Which statement is an example of a closed-ended question?
A) "How has your mood been this week?"
B) "Can you describe what the voices are saying to you?"
C) "Are you feeling sad?"
D) "What was it like when you first started feeling anxious?"
Answer: C) "Are you feeling sad?"
14. A nurse states, "You say you're angry, but you are smiling." This
communication technique is known as:
