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ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
Exam Questions and Answers|
Verified
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly
licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count
backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of
objects."
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a
list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess
immediate, rather than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
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D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and
behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct
an initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of
the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process
approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental health
status provides important information about the client's psychosocial
history.
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C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to
elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of
consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of
the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
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D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria,
used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year
ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a
homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk
while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
Ans: C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a
homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear
reason for emergency commitment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp
knife under my mattress in order to protect myself from my
Gmail:
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
Exam Questions and Answers|
Verified
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly
licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count
backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of
objects."
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a
list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess
immediate, rather than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
, 2026/2027
Gmail:
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and
behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct
an initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of
the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process
approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental health
status provides important information about the client's psychosocial
history.
, 2026/2027
Gmail:
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to
elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of
consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of
the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
, 2026/2027
Gmail:
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria,
used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year
ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a
homeless man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk
while talking to himself.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
Ans: C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a
homeless man with a metal rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear
reason for emergency commitment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp
knife under my mattress in order to protect myself from my
