PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
SUCCESS
NCLEX-STYLE Q&A REVIEW
5TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)CATHERINE MELFI
CURTIS; AUDRA BAKER FEGLEY
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Introduction / Critical Thinking
Stem: A nursing student preparing for the NCLEX repeatedly
reads content but scores poorly on practice application
questions. The student asks how to shift study habits to
improve application-level performance. Which strategy should
the educator recommend first?
A. Spend more hours rereading textbook chapters.
B. Practice case-based application questions using the RACE
,strategy.
C. Memorize definitions and lists to recall on test day.
D. Reduce study to only weak subject areas and ignore
strengths.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Practicing case-based questions using the
RACE strategy applies knowledge to scenarios and develops
clinical judgment; active practice transfers to application-level
performance.
Rationale (A): Rereading is a passive strategy and less effective
for application-level questions.
Rationale (C): Memorization supports remembering-level items
but not higher-order clinical judgment.
Rationale (D): Ignoring strengths reduces reinforcement and
fails to build integrated clinical judgment.
Teaching Point: Use active, case-based practice (RACE) to build
application and clinical judgment.
Citation: Curtis, C. M., & Fegley, A. B. (2023). Psychiatric Mental
Health Nursing Success: NCLEX-Style Q&A Review (5th ed.).
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Clinical Judgment / NCLEX® CJMM
Stem: During a practice NGN-style item, a student is asked to
identify cues, make inferences, and determine interventions.
The student is unsure which step corresponds to “recognize.”
Which action best represents the “recognize” step of CJMM?
,A. Selecting the appropriate intervention.
B. Noting vital sign abnormalities and an anxious affect.
C. Evaluating patient response after intervention.
D. Determining long-term outcomes of care.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): “Recognize” involves identifying pertinent
cues (e.g., abnormal vitals, anxious affect) from data to drive
subsequent reasoning.
Rationale (A): Selecting an intervention aligns more with
responding, a later CJMM step.
Rationale (C): Evaluating patient response corresponds to the
reflect/evaluate stage, not recognition.
Rationale (D): Determining long-term outcomes is an
outcome/planning activity, not initial recognition.
Teaching Point: Start CJMM by accurately recognizing critical
patient cues.
Citation: Curtis & Fegley (2023).
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Maximize Your Critical Thinking and Clinical
Judgment Abilities
Stem: A student experiences test anxiety every time they sit for
a practice exam, leading to frozen recall. Which immediate
strategy from the chapter best reduces anxiety before a timed
practice set?
A. Skip breaks to finish faster and build stamina.
, B. Use brief deep-breathing and positive self-talk before
starting.
C. Cram a new topic immediately before the exam.
D. Avoid timed practice to prevent anxiety.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Deep breathing and positive self-talk
reduce physiologic and cognitive anxiety, improving focus for
timed practice.
Rationale (A): Skipping breaks increases fatigue and impairs
critical thinking.
Rationale (C): Cramming increases cognitive load and heightens
anxiety.
Rationale (D): Avoiding timed practice prevents building the
very coping skills needed for test conditions.
Teaching Point: Use brief relaxation and positive self-talk before
exams to reduce anxiety.
Citation: Curtis & Fegley (2023).
4
Reference: Ch. 1 — Be Positive / Overcome Barriers To A
Positive Mental Attitude
Stem: A student habitually thinks, “I always fail application
items.” Which cognitive strategy from the chapter will best
reframe this thought to facilitate improved performance?
A. Catastrophizing to motivate harder study.
B. Replacing absolute statements with specific, measurable
SUCCESS
NCLEX-STYLE Q&A REVIEW
5TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)CATHERINE MELFI
CURTIS; AUDRA BAKER FEGLEY
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Introduction / Critical Thinking
Stem: A nursing student preparing for the NCLEX repeatedly
reads content but scores poorly on practice application
questions. The student asks how to shift study habits to
improve application-level performance. Which strategy should
the educator recommend first?
A. Spend more hours rereading textbook chapters.
B. Practice case-based application questions using the RACE
,strategy.
C. Memorize definitions and lists to recall on test day.
D. Reduce study to only weak subject areas and ignore
strengths.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Practicing case-based questions using the
RACE strategy applies knowledge to scenarios and develops
clinical judgment; active practice transfers to application-level
performance.
Rationale (A): Rereading is a passive strategy and less effective
for application-level questions.
Rationale (C): Memorization supports remembering-level items
but not higher-order clinical judgment.
Rationale (D): Ignoring strengths reduces reinforcement and
fails to build integrated clinical judgment.
Teaching Point: Use active, case-based practice (RACE) to build
application and clinical judgment.
Citation: Curtis, C. M., & Fegley, A. B. (2023). Psychiatric Mental
Health Nursing Success: NCLEX-Style Q&A Review (5th ed.).
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Clinical Judgment / NCLEX® CJMM
Stem: During a practice NGN-style item, a student is asked to
identify cues, make inferences, and determine interventions.
The student is unsure which step corresponds to “recognize.”
Which action best represents the “recognize” step of CJMM?
,A. Selecting the appropriate intervention.
B. Noting vital sign abnormalities and an anxious affect.
C. Evaluating patient response after intervention.
D. Determining long-term outcomes of care.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): “Recognize” involves identifying pertinent
cues (e.g., abnormal vitals, anxious affect) from data to drive
subsequent reasoning.
Rationale (A): Selecting an intervention aligns more with
responding, a later CJMM step.
Rationale (C): Evaluating patient response corresponds to the
reflect/evaluate stage, not recognition.
Rationale (D): Determining long-term outcomes is an
outcome/planning activity, not initial recognition.
Teaching Point: Start CJMM by accurately recognizing critical
patient cues.
Citation: Curtis & Fegley (2023).
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Maximize Your Critical Thinking and Clinical
Judgment Abilities
Stem: A student experiences test anxiety every time they sit for
a practice exam, leading to frozen recall. Which immediate
strategy from the chapter best reduces anxiety before a timed
practice set?
A. Skip breaks to finish faster and build stamina.
, B. Use brief deep-breathing and positive self-talk before
starting.
C. Cram a new topic immediately before the exam.
D. Avoid timed practice to prevent anxiety.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (Correct): Deep breathing and positive self-talk
reduce physiologic and cognitive anxiety, improving focus for
timed practice.
Rationale (A): Skipping breaks increases fatigue and impairs
critical thinking.
Rationale (C): Cramming increases cognitive load and heightens
anxiety.
Rationale (D): Avoiding timed practice prevents building the
very coping skills needed for test conditions.
Teaching Point: Use brief relaxation and positive self-talk before
exams to reduce anxiety.
Citation: Curtis & Fegley (2023).
4
Reference: Ch. 1 — Be Positive / Overcome Barriers To A
Positive Mental Attitude
Stem: A student habitually thinks, “I always fail application
items.” Which cognitive strategy from the chapter will best
reframe this thought to facilitate improved performance?
A. Catastrophizing to motivate harder study.
B. Replacing absolute statements with specific, measurable
