Questions and Answers Latest 2026
A male client with schizophrenia tells the nurse that the
voices he hears are saying, "You must kill yourself." To
assist the client in coping with these thoughts, which
response is best for the nurse to provide?
A)Tell yourself that the voices are unreasonable.
B)Exercise when you hear the voices.
C)Talk to someone when you hear the voices.
D)The voices aren't real, so ignore them. Ans: A)Tell
yourself that the voices are unreasonable.
The nurse should teach the client to use self-talk to
disprove the voices since auditory hallucinations are
often relentless and difficult to ignore. The other
responses are not indicated because a client with
schizophrenia uses concrete thinking and has difficulty
interacting with others.
A client on the psychiatric unit appears to imitate a
certain nurse on the unit. The client seeks out this
particular nurse and imitates the nurse's mannerisms.
Which defense mechanism is the client using?
A)Sublimation.
B)Identification.
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C)Introjection.
D)Repression. Ans: B)Identification.
Identification is an attempt to be like someone or
emulate the personality traits of another. The client is not
demonstrating the other psychosocial mechanisms.
When preparing a teaching plan for a client who is to be
discharged with a prescription for lithium carbonate
(Lithonate), which instruction is most important for the
nurse to include?
A)It may take 3 to 4 weeks to achieve therapeutic effects.
B)Keep your dietary salt intake consistent.
C)Avoid eating aged cheese and chicken liver.
D)Eat foods high in fiber such as whole grain breads.
Ans: B)Keep your dietary salt intake consistent.
The effectiveness of Lithium is influenced by salt intake,
so the client should maintain a consistent amount of salt
intake. Too much salt causes more lithium to be excreted,
thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the drug. Too
little salt causes less lithium to be excreted, potentially
resulting in toxicity. The other instructions are not
specific to teaching about lithium carbonate (Lithonate).
The nurse is taking a history for a female client who is
requesting a routine female exam. Which assessment
finding requires follow-up?
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A)Menstruation onset at age 9.
B)Contraceptive method includes condoms only.
C)Menstrual cycle occurs every 35 days.
D)"Black-out" after one drink last night on a date. Ans:
D)"Black-out" after one drink last night on a date.
A "black-out" typically occurs after ingestion of alcohol
beverages that the client has no recall of experiences or
one's behavior and is indicative of high blood alcohol
levels. The client's experience of a "black-out" after one
drink is suspicious of the client receiving a "date rape"
drug, such as flunitrazepam ("Rohypnol"), and needs
additional follow-up. The other findings do not need
follow-up at this time.
An anxious client expressing a fear of people and open
places is admitted to the psychiatric unit. What is the
most effective way for the nurse to assist this client?
A)Plan an outing with the peer group within the first
week of admission.
B)Distract the client whenever discomfort about being
with others is expressed..
C)Confront fears and discuss the possible causes of these
fears with the client.
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D)Accompany the client outside for an increasing amount
of time each day. Ans: D)Accompany the client outside
for an increasing amount of time each day.
The process of gradual desensitization by controlled
exposure to the situation which is feared, is the
treatment of choice in phobic reactions. The other
options are not indicated in the initial phase of
desensitization.
The nurse is assessing a client's intelligence. Which factor
should the nurse remember during this part of the
mental status exam?
A)Acute psychiatric illnesses impair intelligence.
B)Intelligence is influenced by social and cultural beliefs.
C)Poor concentration skills suggests limited intelligence.
D)The inability to think abstractly indicates limited
intelligence. Ans: B)Intelligence is influenced by social
and cultural beliefs.
Social and cultural beliefs have significant impact on
intelligence. The other factors do not necessarily suggest
limited intelligence.
A nurse working on a mental health unit receives a
community call from a person who is tearful and states,
"I just feel so nervous all of the time. I don't know what
to do about my problems. I haven't been able to sleep at
night and have hardly eaten for the past 3 or 4 days."
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