1
TEST BANK
FOR HALTER: VARCAROLIS’
FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL
HEALTH NURSING: A CLINICAL APPROACH,
8TH EDITION BY MARGARET JORDAN
HALTER 2026
1
,2
Table Of Contents
Unit I: Foundations In Theory
1. Mental Health And Mental Illness
2. Theories And Therapies
3. Psychobiology And Psychopharmacology
Unit Ii: Foundations For Practice
4. Treatment Settings
5. Cultural Implications
6. Legal And Ethical Considerations
Unit Iii: Psychosocial Nursing Tools
7. The Nursing Process And Standards Of Care
8. Therapeutic Relationships
9. Therapeutic Communication
10. Stress Responses And Stress Management
Unit Iv: Psychobiological Disorders
11. Childhood And Neurodevelopmental Disorders
12. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
13. Bipolar And Related Disorders
14. Depressive Disorders
15. Anxiety And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
16 Trauma, Stressor-Related, And Dissociative Disorders
17. Somatic Symptom Disorders
18. Eating And Feeding Disorders
19. Sleep-Wake Disorders
20. Sexual Dysfunction, Gender Dysphoria, And Paraphilias
21. Impulse Control Disorders
22. Substance-Related And Addictive Disorders
23. Neurocognitive Disorders
24. Personality Disorders
Unit V: Trauma Interventions
25. Suicide And Nonsuicidal Self -Injury
26. Crisis And Disaster
27. Anger, Aggression, And Violence
28. Child, Older Adult, And Intimate Partner Violence
29. Sexual Assault
Unit Vi: Interventions For Special Populations
30. Dying, Death, And Grieving
31. Older Adults
32. Serious Mental Illness
33. Forensic Nursing
Unit Vii: Other Intervention Modalities
34. Therapeutic Groups
35. Family Interventions
36. Integrative Care
2
,3
chapter 01: mental health and mental illness
multiple choice
1. a staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. this nurse may expect an advanced
practice nurse to perform which additional intervention? a. conduct mental health
assessments.
b. prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. establish therapeutic relationships.
d. individualize nursing care plans.
Ans: b
in most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners and
clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing medication. the nurse
prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish
relationships, and provide individualized care planning.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: understand (comprehension) ref: page 1-23 top: nursing
process: implementation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
2. a nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses “lose all their clinical nursing
skills.” select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. “psychiatric nurses practice 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.”
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
the practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical–surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients
with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these
nurses must have. nurse–patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased,
just like other specialties. psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just
documentation. psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and suffering.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: apply (application)
ref: pages 1-2, 21 top: nursing process: implementation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
3. when a new bill introduced in congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with
mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to
3
, 4
the legislation. which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. recovery
b. attending
c. advocacy
d. evidence-based practice
Ans: c
an advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for self. examples of individual advocacy include helping patients
understand their rights or make decisions. 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 persons with mental illness, the
letter-writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients who are unable to
articulate their own needs.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: understand (comprehension) ref: page 1-26 top: nursing
process: evaluation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
4. a family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. which family
member’s comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. “i’ve made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also.”
b. “i remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together.”
c. “i will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family.”
d. “it’s best for me to move away from my family. things will never change.”
Ans: c
the correct response demonstrates the best evidence of a healthy recognition of the
importance of relationships. mental health includes rational thinking, communication skills,
learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. recalling joy from earlier in life may
be healthy, but the correct response shows a higher level of mental health. the other incorrect
responses show blaming and avoidance.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: analyze (analysis)
ref: pages 1-2, 3, 32 (figure 1-1) top: nursing process: assessment msc:
client needs: psychosocial integrity
5. which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental
illness? the patient
a. reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. is able to describe the difference between “as if” and “for real.”
d. perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.
Ans: b
the correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. the distracters
4
TEST BANK
FOR HALTER: VARCAROLIS’
FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL
HEALTH NURSING: A CLINICAL APPROACH,
8TH EDITION BY MARGARET JORDAN
HALTER 2026
1
,2
Table Of Contents
Unit I: Foundations In Theory
1. Mental Health And Mental Illness
2. Theories And Therapies
3. Psychobiology And Psychopharmacology
Unit Ii: Foundations For Practice
4. Treatment Settings
5. Cultural Implications
6. Legal And Ethical Considerations
Unit Iii: Psychosocial Nursing Tools
7. The Nursing Process And Standards Of Care
8. Therapeutic Relationships
9. Therapeutic Communication
10. Stress Responses And Stress Management
Unit Iv: Psychobiological Disorders
11. Childhood And Neurodevelopmental Disorders
12. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
13. Bipolar And Related Disorders
14. Depressive Disorders
15. Anxiety And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
16 Trauma, Stressor-Related, And Dissociative Disorders
17. Somatic Symptom Disorders
18. Eating And Feeding Disorders
19. Sleep-Wake Disorders
20. Sexual Dysfunction, Gender Dysphoria, And Paraphilias
21. Impulse Control Disorders
22. Substance-Related And Addictive Disorders
23. Neurocognitive Disorders
24. Personality Disorders
Unit V: Trauma Interventions
25. Suicide And Nonsuicidal Self -Injury
26. Crisis And Disaster
27. Anger, Aggression, And Violence
28. Child, Older Adult, And Intimate Partner Violence
29. Sexual Assault
Unit Vi: Interventions For Special Populations
30. Dying, Death, And Grieving
31. Older Adults
32. Serious Mental Illness
33. Forensic Nursing
Unit Vii: Other Intervention Modalities
34. Therapeutic Groups
35. Family Interventions
36. Integrative Care
2
,3
chapter 01: mental health and mental illness
multiple choice
1. a staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. this nurse may expect an advanced
practice nurse to perform which additional intervention? a. conduct mental health
assessments.
b. prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. establish therapeutic relationships.
d. individualize nursing care plans.
Ans: b
in most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse practitioners and
clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing medication. the nurse
prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish
relationships, and provide individualized care planning.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: understand (comprehension) ref: page 1-23 top: nursing
process: implementation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
2. a nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses “lose all their clinical nursing
skills.” select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. “psychiatric nurses practice 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.”
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
the practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical–surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients
with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these
nurses must have. nurse–patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased,
just like other specialties. psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just
documentation. psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and suffering.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: apply (application)
ref: pages 1-2, 21 top: nursing process: implementation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
3. when a new bill introduced in congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with
mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to
3
, 4
the legislation. which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. recovery
b. attending
c. advocacy
d. evidence-based practice
Ans: c
an advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks the
ability to do that for self. examples of individual advocacy include helping patients
understand their rights or make decisions. 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 persons with mental illness, the
letter-writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients who are unable to
articulate their own needs.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: understand (comprehension) ref: page 1-26 top: nursing
process: evaluation
msc: client needs: safe, effective care environment
4. a family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. which family
member’s comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. “i’ve made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also.”
b. “i remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together.”
c. “i will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family.”
d. “it’s best for me to move away from my family. things will never change.”
Ans: c
the correct response demonstrates the best evidence of a healthy recognition of the
importance of relationships. mental health includes rational thinking, communication skills,
learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. recalling joy from earlier in life may
be healthy, but the correct response shows a higher level of mental health. the other incorrect
responses show blaming and avoidance.
pts: 1 dif: cognitive level: analyze (analysis)
ref: pages 1-2, 3, 32 (figure 1-1) top: nursing process: assessment msc:
client needs: psychosocial integrity
5. which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental
illness? the patient
a. reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. is able to describe the difference between “as if” and “for real.”
d. perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.
Ans: b
the correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. the distracters
4
