VARCAROLIS FOUNDATIONS OF
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEED PASS
●● 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
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEED PASS
●● 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
