ATI Mental Health Proctored quiz bank 2025-2026 update
with explanation
A nurse in a group home facility is caring for a client who is developmentally
disabled. The client has been stealing belongings from other clients. Which of the
following techniques should the nurse use?
a. Crisis intervention to decrease anxiety.
b. Aversion therapy to provide distraction
c. Positive reinforcement to increase desired behavior.
d. Systematic desensitization to extinguish the behavior. - ANSWERSc. Positive
reinforcement to increase desired behavior.
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing a panic attack. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a. Ask the client to discuss precipitating events
b. Speaks to the client in a high-pitched voice.
c. Place the client in seclusion
d. Have the client breathe into a paper bag. - ANSWERSd. Have the client breathe
into a paper bag.
The nurse is caring for a client following a physical assault. The client states "I don't
remember what happened to me." The nurse should recognize that the client is using
which of the following defense mechanisms?
a. Repression
b. Displacement
c. Rationalization
d. Denial - ANSWERSa. Repression
A nurse is caring for a client who has anorexia nervosa. Which of the following
findings require immediate intervention by the nurse?
a. +2 edema of the lower extremities
b. BUN 21 mg dL
c. Lanugo covering the body
d. Blood pH 7.60 - ANSWERSd. Blood pH 7.60
A nurse is caring for a client who is starting treatment for substance use disorder.
Which of the following actions indicates the nurse is practicing the ethical principle of
nonmaleficence?
a. Provide the client with quality care regardless of their ability to pay for treatment.
b. Educating the client about legal rights concerning treatment.
c. Withholding the prescribed medication that is causing adverse effects for the
client.
,d. Being truthful with the client about the manifestations of withdrawal. -
ANSWERSc. Withholding the prescribed medication that is causing adverse effects
for the client.
A nurse is providing crisis intervention for a client who was involved in a violent mass
casualty situation in the community. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take during the initial session with the client?
a. help the client focus on a wide variety of topics regarding the crisis
b. identify the client's usual coping style
c. tell the client that his life will soon return to normal
d. encourage the client to display anger toward the cause of the crisis - ANSWERSb.
identify the client's usual coping style
A nurse in the community health facility is interviewing a client who recently lost his
job. The client states "I was fired because my boss doesn't like me" Which of the
following defense mechanisms is the client displaying?
a. Rationalization
b. Displacement
c. Dissociation
d. Repression - ANSWERSa. Rationalization
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has depressive disorder and a new
prescription for doxepin. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include
in the teaching?
a. sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before standing
b. decrease the prescribed dose by half when mood improves
c. avoid over the counter magnesium when taking this medication
d. eat a snack before going to bed - ANSWERSa. sit on the side of the bed for a few
minutes before standing
A nurse is planning care for a client who has dementia. Which of the following
interventions should the nurse include in the plan?
a. give detailed instructions for completion of self-care activities
b. confront the client when he exhibits inappropriate behavior
c. provide finger foods to enhance caloric intake
d. remove clocks from the client's room - ANSWERSc. provide finger foods to
enhance caloric intake
A nurse is teaching a client who has schizophrenia about her new prescription for
risperidone. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. "You should discontinue this medication if you develop muscle rigidity."
b. "You will experience weight loss while taking this medication."
c. "You will notice your symptoms improve within 24 hours of taking
this medication."
, d. "You should increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates." -
ANSWERSa. "You should discontinue this medication if you develop muscle rigidity."
A nurse is providing teaching to the daughter of an older client who has obsessive-
compulsive disorder. Which of the following statements by the daughter indicated an
understanding of the teaching?
a. "I will provide my mother with detailed instructions about how to perform self-
care."
b. "I will limit my mother's clothing choices when she is getting dressed."
c. "I will wake my mother up a couple of times in the night to check on her."
d. "I will discourage my mother from talking about her physical complaints." -
ANSWERSb. "I will limit my mother's clothing choices when she is getting dressed."
A nurse is caring for a client in a mental health facility. The client is agitated and
threatens to harm herself and others. Which of the following is the priority
intervention?
a. Place the client in restraints
b. Administer an anti-anxiety medication to the client
c. Put the client in seclusion
d. Set limits on the client's behavior - ANSWERSd. Set limits on the client's behavior
Dosage Calculation: A nurse is preparing to administer Haloperidol 7mg IM to a
client who is severely agitated. Available is Haloperidol injection 5mg/mL. How many
mL should the nurse administer? - ANSWERS1.4 mL
18) A nurse is caring for a client who was involuntarily committed and is scheduled to
receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The client refuses the treatment and will
not discuss why with the healthcare team. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take?
a. Ask the clients family to encourage the client to receive ECT
b. Inform the client that ECT does not require a consent.
c. Document the client's refusal of the treatment in the medical record.
d. Tell the client he cannot refuse the treatment because he was
involuntarily committed. - ANSWERSc. Document the client's refusal of the treatment
in the medical record.
A nurse in the emergency department is caring for a client who reports feeling sad,
worthless, and hopeless 9 months after the death of her son. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take first?
a. Request a mental health consult for the client.
b. Ask the client if she has thought about harming herself.
c. Encourage the client to attend a grief support group.
d. Discuss the clients coping skills. - ANSWERSc. Encourage the client to attend a
grief support group.
with explanation
A nurse in a group home facility is caring for a client who is developmentally
disabled. The client has been stealing belongings from other clients. Which of the
following techniques should the nurse use?
a. Crisis intervention to decrease anxiety.
b. Aversion therapy to provide distraction
c. Positive reinforcement to increase desired behavior.
d. Systematic desensitization to extinguish the behavior. - ANSWERSc. Positive
reinforcement to increase desired behavior.
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing a panic attack. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a. Ask the client to discuss precipitating events
b. Speaks to the client in a high-pitched voice.
c. Place the client in seclusion
d. Have the client breathe into a paper bag. - ANSWERSd. Have the client breathe
into a paper bag.
The nurse is caring for a client following a physical assault. The client states "I don't
remember what happened to me." The nurse should recognize that the client is using
which of the following defense mechanisms?
a. Repression
b. Displacement
c. Rationalization
d. Denial - ANSWERSa. Repression
A nurse is caring for a client who has anorexia nervosa. Which of the following
findings require immediate intervention by the nurse?
a. +2 edema of the lower extremities
b. BUN 21 mg dL
c. Lanugo covering the body
d. Blood pH 7.60 - ANSWERSd. Blood pH 7.60
A nurse is caring for a client who is starting treatment for substance use disorder.
Which of the following actions indicates the nurse is practicing the ethical principle of
nonmaleficence?
a. Provide the client with quality care regardless of their ability to pay for treatment.
b. Educating the client about legal rights concerning treatment.
c. Withholding the prescribed medication that is causing adverse effects for the
client.
,d. Being truthful with the client about the manifestations of withdrawal. -
ANSWERSc. Withholding the prescribed medication that is causing adverse effects
for the client.
A nurse is providing crisis intervention for a client who was involved in a violent mass
casualty situation in the community. Which of the following actions should the nurse
take during the initial session with the client?
a. help the client focus on a wide variety of topics regarding the crisis
b. identify the client's usual coping style
c. tell the client that his life will soon return to normal
d. encourage the client to display anger toward the cause of the crisis - ANSWERSb.
identify the client's usual coping style
A nurse in the community health facility is interviewing a client who recently lost his
job. The client states "I was fired because my boss doesn't like me" Which of the
following defense mechanisms is the client displaying?
a. Rationalization
b. Displacement
c. Dissociation
d. Repression - ANSWERSa. Rationalization
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has depressive disorder and a new
prescription for doxepin. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include
in the teaching?
a. sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before standing
b. decrease the prescribed dose by half when mood improves
c. avoid over the counter magnesium when taking this medication
d. eat a snack before going to bed - ANSWERSa. sit on the side of the bed for a few
minutes before standing
A nurse is planning care for a client who has dementia. Which of the following
interventions should the nurse include in the plan?
a. give detailed instructions for completion of self-care activities
b. confront the client when he exhibits inappropriate behavior
c. provide finger foods to enhance caloric intake
d. remove clocks from the client's room - ANSWERSc. provide finger foods to
enhance caloric intake
A nurse is teaching a client who has schizophrenia about her new prescription for
risperidone. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. "You should discontinue this medication if you develop muscle rigidity."
b. "You will experience weight loss while taking this medication."
c. "You will notice your symptoms improve within 24 hours of taking
this medication."
, d. "You should increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates." -
ANSWERSa. "You should discontinue this medication if you develop muscle rigidity."
A nurse is providing teaching to the daughter of an older client who has obsessive-
compulsive disorder. Which of the following statements by the daughter indicated an
understanding of the teaching?
a. "I will provide my mother with detailed instructions about how to perform self-
care."
b. "I will limit my mother's clothing choices when she is getting dressed."
c. "I will wake my mother up a couple of times in the night to check on her."
d. "I will discourage my mother from talking about her physical complaints." -
ANSWERSb. "I will limit my mother's clothing choices when she is getting dressed."
A nurse is caring for a client in a mental health facility. The client is agitated and
threatens to harm herself and others. Which of the following is the priority
intervention?
a. Place the client in restraints
b. Administer an anti-anxiety medication to the client
c. Put the client in seclusion
d. Set limits on the client's behavior - ANSWERSd. Set limits on the client's behavior
Dosage Calculation: A nurse is preparing to administer Haloperidol 7mg IM to a
client who is severely agitated. Available is Haloperidol injection 5mg/mL. How many
mL should the nurse administer? - ANSWERS1.4 mL
18) A nurse is caring for a client who was involuntarily committed and is scheduled to
receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The client refuses the treatment and will
not discuss why with the healthcare team. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take?
a. Ask the clients family to encourage the client to receive ECT
b. Inform the client that ECT does not require a consent.
c. Document the client's refusal of the treatment in the medical record.
d. Tell the client he cannot refuse the treatment because he was
involuntarily committed. - ANSWERSc. Document the client's refusal of the treatment
in the medical record.
A nurse in the emergency department is caring for a client who reports feeling sad,
worthless, and hopeless 9 months after the death of her son. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take first?
a. Request a mental health consult for the client.
b. Ask the client if she has thought about harming herself.
c. Encourage the client to attend a grief support group.
d. Discuss the clients coping skills. - ANSWERSc. Encourage the client to attend a
grief support group.
