NURSING EXAM TEST
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, 1
Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Halter: Varcarolis’s Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 2nd Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. Which of the following would the
nurse expect as an advanced practice intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication
c. Establish therapeutic relationships
d. Individualize nursing care plans
ANS: B
Prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication; thus it is an advanced-practice intervention. The nurse
prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish
relationships, and provide individualized care planning.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
2. When a nursing student expresses concerns about how mental health nurses “lose all
their nursing skills,” which of the following is the best response by the mental health
nurse?
a. “Psychiatric nurses practise in safer
environments than other specialties.
Nurse-to-patient ratios must be better
because of the nature of the patients’
problems.”
b. “Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional
problems. I am challenged by those
situations.”
, 2
c. “That’s a misconception. Psychiatric
nurses frequently use high-technology
monitoring equipment and manage
complex intravenous therapies.”
d. “Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal
with as much pain and suffering as
medical–surgical nurses do. That appeals
to me.”
ANS: B
, 3
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills from medical–surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Two domains relate specifically to psychiatric
nursing: behavioural, including communication, coping, and education; and safety, covering
crisis and risk management. Basic psychosocial nursing concepts are central to psychiatric
nursing practice and increase your competency as a practitioner in all clinical settings. Whatever
setting you choose to work in, you will have the opportunity to improve the lives of people who
are experiencing mental illness as an additional challenge to their health.
Your experience in the mental health nursing rotation can help you gain insight into yourself and
greatly increase your insight into the experiences of others. This part of nursing education can
provide guidelines for and the opportunity to learn new skills for dealing with a variety of
challenging behaviours. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and
suffering.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
3. When a new bill introduced in Parliament reduces funding for care of people with mental
illness, a group of people with mild mental illness write letters to their elected representatives
in opposition to the legislation for all people with mental illness. Which role does this action
portray?
a. Recovery
b. Self-care
c. Advocacy
d. Social action
ANS: C
An advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for himself or herself. On a community scale, advocacy includes political
activity, public speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human condition. Since
funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for people with mental illness, the letter-
writing campaign advocates for the cause for all people with mental illness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
4. Which of the following has been identified as a significant trend that will affect the future
of psychiatric mental health nursing in Canada?
a. Decrease in the aging population
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, 1
Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Halter: Varcarolis’s Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 2nd Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. Which of the following would the
nurse expect as an advanced practice intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication
c. Establish therapeutic relationships
d. Individualize nursing care plans
ANS: B
Prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication; thus it is an advanced-practice intervention. The nurse
prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish
relationships, and provide individualized care planning.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
2. When a nursing student expresses concerns about how mental health nurses “lose all
their nursing skills,” which of the following is the best response by the mental health
nurse?
a. “Psychiatric nurses practise in safer
environments than other specialties.
Nurse-to-patient ratios must be better
because of the nature of the patients’
problems.”
b. “Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional
problems. I am challenged by those
situations.”
, 2
c. “That’s a misconception. Psychiatric
nurses frequently use high-technology
monitoring equipment and manage
complex intravenous therapies.”
d. “Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal
with as much pain and suffering as
medical–surgical nurses do. That appeals
to me.”
ANS: B
, 3
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills from medical–surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Two domains relate specifically to psychiatric
nursing: behavioural, including communication, coping, and education; and safety, covering
crisis and risk management. Basic psychosocial nursing concepts are central to psychiatric
nursing practice and increase your competency as a practitioner in all clinical settings. Whatever
setting you choose to work in, you will have the opportunity to improve the lives of people who
are experiencing mental illness as an additional challenge to their health.
Your experience in the mental health nursing rotation can help you gain insight into yourself and
greatly increase your insight into the experiences of others. This part of nursing education can
provide guidelines for and the opportunity to learn new skills for dealing with a variety of
challenging behaviours. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and
suffering.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
3. When a new bill introduced in Parliament reduces funding for care of people with mental
illness, a group of people with mild mental illness write letters to their elected representatives
in opposition to the legislation for all people with mental illness. Which role does this action
portray?
a. Recovery
b. Self-care
c. Advocacy
d. Social action
ANS: C
An advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for himself or herself. On a community scale, advocacy includes political
activity, public speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human condition. Since
funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for people with mental illness, the letter-
writing campaign advocates for the cause for all people with mental illness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
4. Which of the following has been identified as a significant trend that will affect the future
of psychiatric mental health nursing in Canada?
a. Decrease in the aging population
