Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 9th Edition Test Bank Updated Latest Comprehensive Exam Practice Questions with Verified Answers for Nursing Students Covers Mental Health Concepts, Psychiatric Disorders, and Patient Care 2026–

Test bank Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 9th Edition 1

Test Bank For
Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 9th
Edition By Margaret Jordan Halter

Table Of Contents
UNIT I: Foundations in Theory
Chapter 1. Mental Health and Mental Illness Chapter
2. Theories and Therapies
Chapter 3. Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology
UNIT II: Foundations for Practice
Chapter 4. Treatment Settings Chapter
5. Cultural Implications
Chapter 6. Legal and Ethical Considerations
UNIT III: Psychosocial Nursing Tools
Chapter 7. The Nursing Process and Standards of Care Chapter 8.
Therapeutic Relationships
Chapter 9. Therapeutic Communication
Chapter 10. Stress Responses and Stress Management
UNIT IV: Psychobiological Disorders
Chapter 11. Childhood and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Chapter
12. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
Chapter 13. Bipolar and Related Disorders Chapter 14.
Depressive Disorders
Chapter 15. Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Chapter 16.
Trauma, Stressor-Related, and Dissociative Disorders Chapter 17.
Somatic Symptom Disorders
Chapter 18. Eating and Feeding Disorders Chapter 19.
Sleep-Wake Disorders
Chapter 20. Sexual Dysfunction, Gender Dysphoria, and Paraphilic Disorders Chapter
21. Impulse Control Disorders
Chapter 22. Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Chapter 23.
Neurocognitive Disorders
Chapter 24. Personality Disorders
UNIT V: Trauma Interventions
Chapter 25. Suicide and Non-suicidal Self-Injury
Chapter 26. Crisis and Disaster
Chapter 27. Anger, Aggression, and Violence
Chapter 28. Child, Older Adult, and Intimate Partner Violence
Chapter 29. Sexual Assault
UNIT VI: Interventions for Special Populations
Chapter 30. Dying, Death, and Grieving Chapter 31.
Older Adults
Chapter 32. Serious Mental Illness
Chapter 33. Forensic Nursing
UNIT VII: Other Intervention Modalities
Chapter 34. Therapeutic Groups
Chapter 35. Family Interventions
Chapter 36. Integrative Care

,Test bank Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 9th Edition 2

Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Halter: Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: A Clinical
Approach, 9th Edition


MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The scope of practiced for an advanced nurse practitioner would include which intervention?
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a. Conducting a mental health assessment. T T T T



b. Prescribing psychotropic medication. T T



c. Establishing a therapeutic relationship. T T T



d. Individualizing a nursing care plan. T T T T




ANS: B T



In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners and
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clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse
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prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish
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relationships, and provide individualized care planning. T T T T T




PTS: 1 T DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
T MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
T T T T T T T T




2. A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses “lose all their clinical nursing
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skills.” Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
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a. “Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to- T T T T T T T T T



client ratios must be better because of the nature of the clients’ problems.”
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b. “Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking T T T T T T T T T T T



to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations.”
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c. “That’s a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
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monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies.” T T T T T T



d. “Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as T T T T T T T T T T T T T T



medical–surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.” T T T T T T




ANS: B T



The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical–surgical
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nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help clients
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with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses
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must have. Nurse–client ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like
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other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just documentation.
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Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and suffering.
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PTS: 1 T DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
T MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
T T T T T T T T




3. When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with
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mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to
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the legislation. Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
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a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
d. Evidence-based practice T

,Test bank Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 9th Edition 3


ANS: C T



An advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
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ability to do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping clients understand
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their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity,
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public speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human condition. Since
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funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with mental illness, the letter-
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writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of clients who are unable to articulate
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their own needs. T T




PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
T T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation
T MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
T T T T T T T T




4. A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. Which family
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member’s comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
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a. “I’ve made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also.”
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b. “I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together.”
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c. “I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family.”
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d. “It’s best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change.”
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ANS: C T



The correct response demonstrates the best evidence of a healthy recognition of the
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importance of relationships. Mental health includes rational thinking, communication skills,
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learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. Recalling joy from earlier in life may
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be healthy, but the correct response shows a higher level of mental health. The other incorrect
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responses show blaming and avoidance. T T T T




PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)
T T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
T MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity T T T T T T




5. Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be experiencing a mental
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illness?
a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety. T T T T



b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood. T T T T T T T



c. being able to describe the difference between “as if” and “for real.”
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d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. T T T T T T T T T




ANS: B T



The correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. The distracters
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describe behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of human experience.
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PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
T T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
T MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity T T T T T T




6. Which finding best indicates that the goal “Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior” was
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achieved for an adult client? T T T T



a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and meeting demands.
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b. behaving without considering the consequences of personal actions. T T T T T T T



c. aggressively meeting personal needs without considering the rights of others. T T T T T T T T T


d. seeking help from others to avoid assuming responsibility for major areas of own
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life.

, Test bank Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 9th Edition 4


ANS: A T



Mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals reach their own potential, cope
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with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to the community. Mental
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health provides people with the capacity for rational thinking, communication skills, learning,
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emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. The correct response describes an adaptive,
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healthy behavior. The distracters describe maladaptive behaviors.
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PTS: 1 T DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation
T MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
T T T T T T




7. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client’s admission form.
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Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
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a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems T T T T T T T T T



(ICD-10)
b. The ANA’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
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c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) T T T T T T T



d. A behavioral health reference manual
T T T T




ANS: C T



The DSM-V gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. It is the official guideline
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for diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The distracters may not contain diagnostic criteria for a
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psychiatric illness. T




PTS: 1 T DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
T MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
T T T T T T T T




8. A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource
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would have the most complete information?
T T T T T



a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) T T T



b. DSM-V
c. The ANA’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
T T T T T T T T T



d. ICD-10
ANS: B T



The DSM-V details the diagnostic criteria for psychiatric clinical conditions. It is the official
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guideline for diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The other references are good resources but do
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not define the diagnostic criteria.
T T T T




PTS: 1 T DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
T T T T



TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
T MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
T T T T T T T T




9. Which individual behavior demonstrates resilience?
T T T T



a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce. T T T T T



b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years. T T T T T T T T T T



c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
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d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent
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job.
ANS: D T