VARCAROLIS FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHIATRIC
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING FINAL STUDY GUIDE
2026 SOLVED ITEMS PREMIUM REVIEW
◉ A newly admitted patient diagnosed with major depression has
gained 20 pounds over a few months and has suicidal ideation. The
patient has taken an antidepressant medication for 1 week without
remission of symptoms. Select the priority nursing diagnosis.
a. Imbalanced nutrition: more than body requirements
b. Chronic low self-esteem
c. Risk for suicide
d. Hopelessness Answer: ANS: C
Risk for suicide is the priority diagnosis when the patient has both
suicidal ideation and a plan to carry out the suicidal intent.
Imbalanced nutrition, hopelessness, and chronic low self-esteem
may be applicable nursing diagnoses, but these problems do not
affect patient safety as urgently as would a suicide attempt.
◉ A patient diagnosed with major depression has lost 20 pounds in
one month, has chronic low self-esteem, and a plan for suicide. The
patient has taken an antidepressant medication for 1 week. Which
nursing intervention has the highest priority?
a. Implement suicide precautions.
b. Offer high-calorie snacks and fluids frequently.
,c. Assist the patient to identify three personal strengths.
d. Observe patient for therapeutic effects of antidepressant
medication. Answer: ANS: A
Implementing suicide precautions is the only option related to
patient safety. The other options, related to nutrition, self-esteem,
and medication therapy, are important but are not priorities.
◉ The desired outcome for a patient experiencing insomnia is,
"Patient will sleep for a minimum of 5 hours nightly within 7 days."
At the end of 7 days, review of sleep data shows the patient sleeps an
average of 4 hours nightly and takes a 2-hour afternoon nap. The
nurse will document the outcome as:
a. consistently demonstrated.
b. often demonstrated.
c. sometimes demonstrated.
d. never demonstrated. Answer: ANS: D
Although the patient is sleeping 6 hours daily, the total is not one
uninterrupted session at night. Therefore, the outcome must be
evaluated as never demonstrated. See relationship to audience
response question.
◉ The desired outcome for a patient experiencing insomnia is,
"Patient will sleep for a minimum of 5 hours nightly within 7 days."
At the end of 7 days, review of sleep data shows the patient sleeps an
, average of 4 hours nightly and takes a 2-hour afternoon nap. What is
the nurse's next action?
a. Continue the current plan without changes.
b. Remove this nursing diagnosis from the plan of care.
c. Write a new nursing diagnosis that better reflects the problem.
d. Examine interventions for possible revision of the target date.
Answer: ANS: D
Sleeping a total of 5 hours at night remains a reasonable outcome.
Extending the period for attaining the outcome may be appropriate.
Examining interventions might result in planning an activity during
the afternoon rather than permitting a nap. Continuing the current
plan without changes is inappropriate. Removing this nursing
diagnosis from the plan of care would be correct when the outcome
was met and the problem resolved. Writing a new nursing diagnosis
is inappropriate because no other nursing diagnosis relates to the
problem.
◉ A patient begins a new program to assist with building social
skills. In which part of the plan of care should a nurse record the
item, "Encourage patient to attend one psychoeducational group
daily"?
a. Assessment
b. Analysis
c. Implementation
d. Evaluation Answer: ANS: C
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING FINAL STUDY GUIDE
2026 SOLVED ITEMS PREMIUM REVIEW
◉ A newly admitted patient diagnosed with major depression has
gained 20 pounds over a few months and has suicidal ideation. The
patient has taken an antidepressant medication for 1 week without
remission of symptoms. Select the priority nursing diagnosis.
a. Imbalanced nutrition: more than body requirements
b. Chronic low self-esteem
c. Risk for suicide
d. Hopelessness Answer: ANS: C
Risk for suicide is the priority diagnosis when the patient has both
suicidal ideation and a plan to carry out the suicidal intent.
Imbalanced nutrition, hopelessness, and chronic low self-esteem
may be applicable nursing diagnoses, but these problems do not
affect patient safety as urgently as would a suicide attempt.
◉ A patient diagnosed with major depression has lost 20 pounds in
one month, has chronic low self-esteem, and a plan for suicide. The
patient has taken an antidepressant medication for 1 week. Which
nursing intervention has the highest priority?
a. Implement suicide precautions.
b. Offer high-calorie snacks and fluids frequently.
,c. Assist the patient to identify three personal strengths.
d. Observe patient for therapeutic effects of antidepressant
medication. Answer: ANS: A
Implementing suicide precautions is the only option related to
patient safety. The other options, related to nutrition, self-esteem,
and medication therapy, are important but are not priorities.
◉ The desired outcome for a patient experiencing insomnia is,
"Patient will sleep for a minimum of 5 hours nightly within 7 days."
At the end of 7 days, review of sleep data shows the patient sleeps an
average of 4 hours nightly and takes a 2-hour afternoon nap. The
nurse will document the outcome as:
a. consistently demonstrated.
b. often demonstrated.
c. sometimes demonstrated.
d. never demonstrated. Answer: ANS: D
Although the patient is sleeping 6 hours daily, the total is not one
uninterrupted session at night. Therefore, the outcome must be
evaluated as never demonstrated. See relationship to audience
response question.
◉ The desired outcome for a patient experiencing insomnia is,
"Patient will sleep for a minimum of 5 hours nightly within 7 days."
At the end of 7 days, review of sleep data shows the patient sleeps an
, average of 4 hours nightly and takes a 2-hour afternoon nap. What is
the nurse's next action?
a. Continue the current plan without changes.
b. Remove this nursing diagnosis from the plan of care.
c. Write a new nursing diagnosis that better reflects the problem.
d. Examine interventions for possible revision of the target date.
Answer: ANS: D
Sleeping a total of 5 hours at night remains a reasonable outcome.
Extending the period for attaining the outcome may be appropriate.
Examining interventions might result in planning an activity during
the afternoon rather than permitting a nap. Continuing the current
plan without changes is inappropriate. Removing this nursing
diagnosis from the plan of care would be correct when the outcome
was met and the problem resolved. Writing a new nursing diagnosis
is inappropriate because no other nursing diagnosis relates to the
problem.
◉ A patient begins a new program to assist with building social
skills. In which part of the plan of care should a nurse record the
item, "Encourage patient to attend one psychoeducational group
daily"?
a. Assessment
b. Analysis
c. Implementation
d. Evaluation Answer: ANS: C
