Updated/Latest 2025–2026 Test Bank For Varcarolis's Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing A Clinical Approach Comprehensive Exam Questions Answers And Rationales Study Guide For Mental Health Nursing NCLEX Preparation Clinical Practice And Aca

Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Pollard: Varcarolis’s Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Clinical Approach, 3rd
Edition


MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Which of the following is considered an Advanced Practice
Intervention?
a. Conducting mental health assessments (MSA) J J J



b. Prescribing psychotropic medication J J



c. Establishing therapeutic relationships J J



d. Individualizing nursing care plans J J J




ANS: B J



Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses can further their
J J J J J J J J J



education at a baccalaureate levelor at the graduate level (master’s
J J J J J J J J J J



doctorate) and become qualified to practise psychiatric mental health
J J J J J J J J J



nursing at two levels – basic and advanced – developing on their
J J J J J J J J J J J J



education preparation. Prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-
J J J J J J J



prepared Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as they have taken additional advanced courses on prescribing
J J J J J J J J J J J J J



medication. Appropriate use of diagnostic tests must be completed aswell as having hospital admitting
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



privileges. Establishing therapeutic relationship, conducting mental health assessments (MSAs), and
J J J J J J J J J J



individualizing nursing care plans are foundational psychiatric nursing skills. Therefore, they are
J J J J J J J J J J J J



considered Basic-Level Interventions. J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J



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




2. Which has been identified as a priority for national plans and strategies in psychiatric mental health
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



nursing in Canada? J J



a. Decrease in the aging population J J J J



b. Increase in cultural diversity J J J



c. Role of the advanced practice nurse
J J J J J



d. Shortage of physicians in rural and urban areas J J J J J J J




ANS: B J



In early phases of strategic development, the Mental Health Commission of Canada identified cultural
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



diversity as a priority for national plans and strategies. Increasing cultural diversity within Canada
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



warrants deeper attention to culturally safe care and concern for the mental health consequences of
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



colonization and racism. An aging population and shortage of physicians are important to future trends.
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



The role of the advanced practice nurse is continuing to evolve in psychiatric mental health nursing in
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



Canada.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J J



TOP: Nursing Process: Outcome Evaluation
J J J J



MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
J J J J J J




3. Which serves as the official guide for diagnosing psychiatric disorders?
J J J J J J J J J



a. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) J J J J



b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) J J J J J J J



c. A behavioural health reference manual
J J J J




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,Varcarolis's Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 3rd Edition By Sonya Jakubec, Cheryl Pollard Tes Bank J




d. NurseOne online J




ANS: B J



The first Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published by the American
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



Psychiatric Association in 1952. Its purpose was to provide clinicians, educators, and researchers with a
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



common framework to understand and communicate about mental disorders. With a common
J J J J J J J J J J J J



understanding about mental disorders, researchers and clinicians could work together in their attempts to
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



improve care for people with mental illness. The current DSM-5 serves as the official guide for diagnosing
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



psychiatric disorders. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) sets the global health
J J J J J J J J J J J J



information standard for mortality and morbidity statistics. Clinicians and researchers use this
J J J J J J J J J J J J



classification system to define diseases, study disease patterns, monitor outcomes, and subsequently
J J J J J J J J J J J J



allocate resources based on the prevalence of disease. The Canadian Institute for Health Information
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



developed an enhanced version of the previous version, ICD-10 referred to as the ICD 10-CA period that
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



version extends beyond defining and classifying diseases to describe conditions and situations that are not
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



diseases, including for example, risk factors to health and psychosocial circumstances. A behavioral
J J J J J J J J J J J J J



health reference manual and NurseOne online are not used as official guides for diagnosis.
J J J J J J J J J J J J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) J J J



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




4. When locating the description and diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders, which resource would have the
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



most complete information?
J J



a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) J J J



b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) J J J J J J J



c. The ANA’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
J J J J J J J J J



d. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems J J J J J J J J J



(ICD-10)
ANS: B J



The DSM-5 details the diagnostic criteria for psychiatric clinical conditions and is the official guide for
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The other references are good resources but do not define the diagnostic
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



criteria.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J



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




5. Which individual is demonstrating the highest level of resilience?
J J J J J J J J



a. An individual repressing their stressors who is having a difficult time coping with
J J J J J J J J J J J J J



activities of daily living (ADLs) J J J J



b. An individual who is in a depressed state after the death of their spouse
J J J J J J J J J J J J J



c. An individual who lives in a shelter for 2 years after their home is destroyed by a fire
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



d. An individual who navigates and negotiates resources to support their well-being
J J J J J J J J J J




ANS: D J




2

,Varcarolis's Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 3rd Edition By Sonya Jakubec, Cheryl Pollard Tes Bank J




A characteristic of mental health increasingly being promoted as essential to the recovery process is
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



resilience. Resilience is a process and outcome of complex, cultural systems, rather than as an individual
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



capacity to overcome adversity. In this way, when exposed to adversity, one’s resilience depends on the
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



navigation and negotiation of resources that can support well-being. Resilience is closely associated with
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



the process of adapting and helps people facing tragedies, loss, trauma, and severe stress. An individual
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



who is repressing their stressors may need support for developing coping strategies. It is important for the
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



individual who is in a depressed state after the death of their spouse to navigate and negotiate resources
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



that can support their well-being (e.g., grief support or counselling). An individual living in a shelter
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



needs immediate support and assistance when entering the shelter to navigate services and supports.
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



Shelters are short-term resources. J J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
J J J J J



TOP: Nursing Process: Outcome Evaluation
J J J J J



MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
J J J J




6. A multidisciplinary team is working with two groups of patients diagnosed with depression. One group of
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



patients receives supportive interventions and psychotropic medication (e.g., antidepressants). The other
J J J J J J J J J J J



group receives only psychotropic medication. Outcomes are measured for each group. Which is being
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



studied?
a. Incidence
b. Prevalence
c. Comorbidity
d. Clinical epidemiology J




ANS: D J



Clinical epidemiology is a broad field that addresses studies of the natural history (or what happens if there
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



is no treatment and the problem is left to run its course) of an illness, studies of diagnostic screening tests,
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



and observational and experimental studies of interventions used to treat people with the illness or
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



symptoms. Prevalence refers to numbers of new cases. Comorbidity refers to having more than one
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



mental disorder at a time. Incidence refers to the number of new cases of mental disorders in a healthy
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



population within a given period. J J J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J J



TOP: Nursing Process: Outcome Evaluation
J J J J



MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
J J J J J J




7. A category 5 tornado occurred in a community of 400 people, resulting in destruction of many homes and
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



businesses. In the 2 years after this disaster, 140 individuals were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



disorder (PTSD). Which term best applies to these newly diagnosed individuals?
J J J J J J J J J J



a. Prevalence
b. Comorbidity
c. Incidence
d. Clinical epidemiology J




ANS: C J




3

, Varcarolis's Canadian Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 3rd Edition By Sonya Jakubec, Cheryl Pollard Tes Bank J




Incidence refers to the number of new cases of mental disorders in a healthy population within a given
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



period of time. Prevalence describes the total number of cases, new and existing, in a given population
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



during a specific period of time, regardless of when they became ill. Clinical epidemiology is a broad field
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



that addresses what happens after people with illnesses are seen by clinical care providers.
J J J J J J J J J J J J J



Comorbidity refers to having more than one mental disorder at a time. J J J J J J J J J J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J



TOP: Nursing Process: Planning| Nursing Process: Outcome Identification
J J J J J J J J



MSC: Client Needs: Safe Effective Care Environment
J J J J J J




8. Which individual is considered to have positive attributes of mental health?
J J J J J J J J J J



a. An individual who can laugh and play
J J J J J J



b. An individual who is unable to experience joy
J J J J J J J



c. An individual who has a difficult time managing interpersonal conflict
J J J J J J J J J



d. An individual who has limited insight and judgement
J J J J J J J




ANS: A J



Mental health is described as more than merely the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Laughing
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



and play are considered positive attributes of mental health. Individuals who are unable to experience joy,
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



who have a difficult time managing interpersonal conflict, and who have limited insight and judgement
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



may require further support, enhanced coping strategies and promotion of positive mental health from
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



mental health clinicians.
J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application) J J J



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




9. Which report highlighted the importance of issues related to mental health and mental illness in
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



Canada?
a. The ERB Report J J



b. The ERG Report J J



c. The EDD Report J J



d. The EPP Report J J




ANS: D J



Published in 1988, Mental Health for Canadians: Striking a Balance, commonly called the Epp Report,
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



highlighted the importance of issues related to mental health and mental illness in Canada. It proposed
J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J



seven guiding principles for the development of public policies to support mental health.
J J J J J J J J J J J J




DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension) J J J



TOP: Nursing Process: Planning| Nursing Process: Outcome Identification
J J J J J J J J



MSC: Client Needs: Health Promotion and Maintenance
J J J J J J




10. Which of the following indicates reflection and discovery of resilience?
J J J J J J J J J



a. Why do I not have the inner strength I once did?
J J J J J J J J J J



b. How have I gotten through difficult times?
J J J J J J



c. Why doesn’t anything ever go right for me?
J J J J J J J



d. Why do people always make me feel this way?
J J J J J J J J




ANS: B J




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