Mental Health - NCLEX-RN Examination
Edition 7 2025-2026 QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
A client with a diagnosis of depression who has attempted suicide says to the nurse, "I should have died.
I've always been a failure. Nothing ever goes right for me." Which response by the nurse demonstrates
therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?" - ANSWERS4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a
while?"
*Rationale*: Responding to the feelings expressed by a client is an effective therapeutic communication
technique. The correct option is an example of the use of restating. The remaining options block
communication because they minimize the client's experience and do not facilitate exploration of the
client's expressed feelings. In addition, use of the word why is nontherapeutic.
The nurse visits a client at home. The client states, "I haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which
response by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes I have trouble sleeping too." - ANSWERS3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
*Rationale*: The correct option uses the therapeutic communication technique of restatement.
Although restatement is a technique that has a prompting component to it, it repeats the client's major
theme, which assists the nurse to obtain a more specific perception of the problem from the client. The
, remaining options are not therapeutic responses since none encourages the client to expand on the
problem. Offering personal experiences moves the focus away from the client and onto the nurse.
A client experiencing disturbed thought processes believes that his food is being poisoned. Which
communication technique should the nurse use to encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition - ANSWERS1. Using open-ended
questions and silence
*Rationale*: Open-ended questions and silence are strategies used to encourage clients to discuss their
problems. Sharing personal food preferences is not a client-centered intervention. The remaining
options are not helpful to the client because they do not encourage the client to express feelings. The
nurse should not offer opinions and should encourage the client to identify the reasons for the behavior.
The nurse should plan which goals of the termination stage of group development? *Select all that
apply.*
1. The group evaluates the experience
2. The real work of the group is accomplished
3. Group interaction involves superficial conversation
4. Group members become acquainted with one another
5. Some structuring of group norms, roles, and responsibilities takes place
6. The group explores members' feelings about the group and the impending separation - ANSWERS1.
The group evaluates the experience
6. The group explores members' feelings about the group and the impending separation
*Rationale*: The stages of group development include the initial stage, the working stage, and the
termination stage. During the initial stage, the group members become acquainted with one another,
and some structuring of group norms, roles, and responsibilities takes place. During the initial stage,
group interaction involves superficial conversation. During the working stage, the real work of the group
is accomplished. During the termination stage, the group evaluates the experience and explores
members' feelings about the group and the impending separation.
Edition 7 2025-2026 QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
A client with a diagnosis of depression who has attempted suicide says to the nurse, "I should have died.
I've always been a failure. Nothing ever goes right for me." Which response by the nurse demonstrates
therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?" - ANSWERS4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a
while?"
*Rationale*: Responding to the feelings expressed by a client is an effective therapeutic communication
technique. The correct option is an example of the use of restating. The remaining options block
communication because they minimize the client's experience and do not facilitate exploration of the
client's expressed feelings. In addition, use of the word why is nontherapeutic.
The nurse visits a client at home. The client states, "I haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which
response by the nurse demonstrates therapeutic communication?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes I have trouble sleeping too." - ANSWERS3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
*Rationale*: The correct option uses the therapeutic communication technique of restatement.
Although restatement is a technique that has a prompting component to it, it repeats the client's major
theme, which assists the nurse to obtain a more specific perception of the problem from the client. The
, remaining options are not therapeutic responses since none encourages the client to expand on the
problem. Offering personal experiences moves the focus away from the client and onto the nurse.
A client experiencing disturbed thought processes believes that his food is being poisoned. Which
communication technique should the nurse use to encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition - ANSWERS1. Using open-ended
questions and silence
*Rationale*: Open-ended questions and silence are strategies used to encourage clients to discuss their
problems. Sharing personal food preferences is not a client-centered intervention. The remaining
options are not helpful to the client because they do not encourage the client to express feelings. The
nurse should not offer opinions and should encourage the client to identify the reasons for the behavior.
The nurse should plan which goals of the termination stage of group development? *Select all that
apply.*
1. The group evaluates the experience
2. The real work of the group is accomplished
3. Group interaction involves superficial conversation
4. Group members become acquainted with one another
5. Some structuring of group norms, roles, and responsibilities takes place
6. The group explores members' feelings about the group and the impending separation - ANSWERS1.
The group evaluates the experience
6. The group explores members' feelings about the group and the impending separation
*Rationale*: The stages of group development include the initial stage, the working stage, and the
termination stage. During the initial stage, the group members become acquainted with one another,
and some structuring of group norms, roles, and responsibilities takes place. During the initial stage,
group interaction involves superficial conversation. During the working stage, the real work of the group
is accomplished. During the termination stage, the group evaluates the experience and explores
members' feelings about the group and the impending separation.
