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Test bank for psychiatric nursing; contemporary practice
2026/2027 exam !!
, page2
Multiple choices
The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted
client. Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on
the individual's mental health?
A) Not needing others for companionship
B) The ability to effectively manage stress
C) A family history of mental illness
D) Striving for total self-reliance
Ans: B
Feedback: Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup,
autonomy, independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning
in life, emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping
or stress management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of
separateness and connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a
healthy person would need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness
could relate to the biologic makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on
an individual's mental health, as well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal
and socialñcultural factors of health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive
social/cultural factor is access to adequate resources.
Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. B)
Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive dependency
on or withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope effectively with
daily life.
E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with
relationships and self.
Ans: A, D, E
Feedback: Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both.
Mental illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors.
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Excessive dependency on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that
relate to mental illness. Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed
with daily life. Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with
relationships and self.
. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness? A)
Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in
other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and
coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.
Ans: C
Feedback: What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior, another
society may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness
are difficult to define precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional,
psychological, and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships,
effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who
engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from
fantasy is an individual factor that may contribute to mental illness
A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill
because she is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
A) You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much
pain.
B) You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have
experienced.
C) Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's death?
D) Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings.
Ans: B
Feedback: Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective
relationships, ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior
must not be culturally expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not
considered mental illness. False reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address
the client's concerns.
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. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment
Ans: D
Feedback: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics,
and identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or
prognostic outcomes of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist
RN's scope of practice, so documenting the code in the medical record would be
inappropriate.
. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
A) Identifying the medical diagnosis
B) Treat clients
C) Evaluate treatments
D) Understand the reason for the admission and the nature of psychiatric illnesses
Ans: D
Feedback: Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it
a helpful resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building
knowledge about the nature of psychiatric illnesses. Identifying the medical diagnosis,
treating, and evaluating treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
.The legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which of the following
shifts in care for the mentally ill?
A) The widespread use of community-based services
B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C) Increased access to hospitalization
D) Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care
Ans: A
Feedback: The Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 accomplished
the release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in
admissions to hospitals, and the development of community-based services as an
alternative to hospital care
.Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?A) Making it easier to
commit people for mental health treatment against their will.
B) Making it more difficult to commit people for mental health treatment against their
Test bank for psychiatric nursing; contemporary practice
2026/2027 exam !!
, page2
Multiple choices
The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted
client. Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on
the individual's mental health?
A) Not needing others for companionship
B) The ability to effectively manage stress
C) A family history of mental illness
D) Striving for total self-reliance
Ans: B
Feedback: Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup,
autonomy, independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning
in life, emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping
or stress management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of
separateness and connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a
healthy person would need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness
could relate to the biologic makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on
an individual's mental health, as well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal
and socialñcultural factors of health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive
social/cultural factor is access to adequate resources.
Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. B)
Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive dependency
on or withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope effectively with
daily life.
E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with
relationships and self.
Ans: A, D, E
Feedback: Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both.
Mental illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors.
, page3
Excessive dependency on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that
relate to mental illness. Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed
with daily life. Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with
relationships and self.
. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness? A)
Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in
other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and
coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.
Ans: C
Feedback: What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior, another
society may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness
are difficult to define precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional,
psychological, and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships,
effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who
engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from
fantasy is an individual factor that may contribute to mental illness
A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill
because she is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
A) You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much
pain.
B) You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have
experienced.
C) Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's death?
D) Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings.
Ans: B
Feedback: Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective
relationships, ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior
must not be culturally expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not
considered mental illness. False reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address
the client's concerns.
, page4
. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment
Ans: D
Feedback: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics,
and identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or
prognostic outcomes of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist
RN's scope of practice, so documenting the code in the medical record would be
inappropriate.
. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
A) Identifying the medical diagnosis
B) Treat clients
C) Evaluate treatments
D) Understand the reason for the admission and the nature of psychiatric illnesses
Ans: D
Feedback: Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it
a helpful resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building
knowledge about the nature of psychiatric illnesses. Identifying the medical diagnosis,
treating, and evaluating treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
.The legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which of the following
shifts in care for the mentally ill?
A) The widespread use of community-based services
B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C) Increased access to hospitalization
D) Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care
Ans: A
Feedback: The Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 accomplished
the release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in
admissions to hospitals, and the development of community-based services as an
alternative to hospital care
.Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?A) Making it easier to
commit people for mental health treatment against their will.
B) Making it more difficult to commit people for mental health treatment against their
