Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice
Exam I Questions And Answers With Verified
Rationales | 2026/27 Qs & Ans | Digital Pdf
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1. A nurse is assessing a client with major depressive disorder. Which
symptom is most characteristic of depression?
A. Grandiosity
B. Euphoric mood
C. Anhedonia
D. Flight of ideas
Rationale: Anhedonia, or loss of interest or pleasure in activities, is a
hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder.
2. A client with schizophrenia reports hearing voices telling him to self-
harm. What is the nurse’s priority action?
A. Ask the client to ignore the voices
B. Leave the client alone to decrease stimulation
C. Assess the content of the hallucinations for safety risk
D. Explain that the voices are not real
Rationale: Command hallucinations may lead to harm; safety assessment is
the priority.
,3. Which defense mechanism involves refusing to accept reality?
A. Projection
B. Regression
C. Sublimation
D. Denial
Rationale: Denial is the unconscious refusal to acknowledge painful
realities.
4. A client taking lithium should be monitored for which adverse effect?
A. Hypertension
B. Hyperglycemia
C. Tremors and toxicity
D. Respiratory depression
Rationale: Lithium toxicity commonly presents with tremors, confusion,
and GI symptoms.
5. Which therapeutic communication technique is most appropriate?
A. Giving advice
B. Changing the subject
C. Using open-ended questions
D. Providing false reassurance
Rationale: Open-ended questions encourage expression of feelings and
promote communication.
,6. A nurse identifies that a client is experiencing mania. Which behavior
would the nurse expect?
A. Slow speech
B. Withdrawal from others
C. Decreased need for sleep
D. Flat affect
Rationale: Mania often presents with excessive energy and little need for
sleep.
7. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with depression?
A. Dopamine excess
B. Acetylcholine excess
C. Low serotonin levels
D. High histamine levels
Rationale: Serotonin deficiency is strongly linked to depressive disorders.
8. A client states, “I feel hopeless and want to die.” What is the nurse’s best
response?
A. “You should not think that way.”
B. “Everyone feels sad sometimes.”
C. “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
D. “You have so much to live for.”
, Rationale: Suicide assessment requires direct questioning about suicidal
thoughts.
9. Which finding indicates effective treatment with antidepressants?
A. Increased hallucinations
B. Improved appetite and sleep
C. Decreased energy
D. Emotional numbness
Rationale: Improvement in sleep and appetite are positive indicators of
recovery.
10. A client with anxiety disorder is hyperventilating. What should the
nurse do first?
A. Administer sedatives immediately
B. Encourage slow deep breathing
C. Leave the client alone
D. Restrict fluid intake
Rationale: Breathing techniques help reduce physiologic symptoms of
anxiety.
11. Which behavior is expected in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Exam I Questions And Answers With Verified
Rationales | 2026/27 Qs & Ans | Digital Pdf
Download
1. A nurse is assessing a client with major depressive disorder. Which
symptom is most characteristic of depression?
A. Grandiosity
B. Euphoric mood
C. Anhedonia
D. Flight of ideas
Rationale: Anhedonia, or loss of interest or pleasure in activities, is a
hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder.
2. A client with schizophrenia reports hearing voices telling him to self-
harm. What is the nurse’s priority action?
A. Ask the client to ignore the voices
B. Leave the client alone to decrease stimulation
C. Assess the content of the hallucinations for safety risk
D. Explain that the voices are not real
Rationale: Command hallucinations may lead to harm; safety assessment is
the priority.
,3. Which defense mechanism involves refusing to accept reality?
A. Projection
B. Regression
C. Sublimation
D. Denial
Rationale: Denial is the unconscious refusal to acknowledge painful
realities.
4. A client taking lithium should be monitored for which adverse effect?
A. Hypertension
B. Hyperglycemia
C. Tremors and toxicity
D. Respiratory depression
Rationale: Lithium toxicity commonly presents with tremors, confusion,
and GI symptoms.
5. Which therapeutic communication technique is most appropriate?
A. Giving advice
B. Changing the subject
C. Using open-ended questions
D. Providing false reassurance
Rationale: Open-ended questions encourage expression of feelings and
promote communication.
,6. A nurse identifies that a client is experiencing mania. Which behavior
would the nurse expect?
A. Slow speech
B. Withdrawal from others
C. Decreased need for sleep
D. Flat affect
Rationale: Mania often presents with excessive energy and little need for
sleep.
7. Which neurotransmitter is most associated with depression?
A. Dopamine excess
B. Acetylcholine excess
C. Low serotonin levels
D. High histamine levels
Rationale: Serotonin deficiency is strongly linked to depressive disorders.
8. A client states, “I feel hopeless and want to die.” What is the nurse’s best
response?
A. “You should not think that way.”
B. “Everyone feels sad sometimes.”
C. “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
D. “You have so much to live for.”
, Rationale: Suicide assessment requires direct questioning about suicidal
thoughts.
9. Which finding indicates effective treatment with antidepressants?
A. Increased hallucinations
B. Improved appetite and sleep
C. Decreased energy
D. Emotional numbness
Rationale: Improvement in sleep and appetite are positive indicators of
recovery.
10. A client with anxiety disorder is hyperventilating. What should the
nurse do first?
A. Administer sedatives immediately
B. Encourage slow deep breathing
C. Leave the client alone
D. Restrict fluid intake
Rationale: Breathing techniques help reduce physiologic symptoms of
anxiety.
11. Which behavior is expected in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
