NSG 3450. Mental Health Exam 1 Review
Questions 2026 With Correct Answers
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 client ratios must
be better because of the nature of the clients' 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." - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by
those situations."
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." - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be experiencing a mental illness?
a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
,d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b.
reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's admission form. Which resource
should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems
(ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource would
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✨-d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job.
The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) is to clinical judgment as
Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
a. client outcomes.
b. nursing actions.
c. diagnosis.
d. symptoms. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b. nursing actions.
,An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have learned that what I get
out of something is proportional to the effort I put into it." Which number on this mental health
continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness Mental Health
12345
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5 - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-e. 5
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
a. Epilepsy
b. Schizophrenia
c. Running amok
d. Major depressive disorder - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-c. Running amok
What does the DSM-V classify?
a. deviant behaviors
b. present disability or distress
c. people with mental disorders
d. mental disorders - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d) Mental disorders
The DSM-V classifies disorders people have rather than people themselves.
A citizen at a community health fair asks the nurse, "What is the most prevalent mental disorder in the
United States?" Select the nurse's correct response.
, a. Schizophrenia
b. Bipolar disorder
c. Dissociative fugue
d. Alzheimer's disease - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d. Alzheimer's disease
In the majority culture of the United States, which individual has the greatest risk to be
labeled mentally ill?
a. One who describes hearing God's voice speaking.
b. One who is usually pessimistic but strives to meet personal goals.
c. One who is wealthy and gives away $20 bills to needy individuals.
d. One who always has an optimistic viewpoint about life - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-a. One who
describes hearing God's voice speaking.
A client's relationships are intense and unstable. The client initially idealizes the significant other and
then devalues him or her, resulting in frequent feelings of emptiness. This client will benefit from
interventions to develop which aspect of mental health?
a. Effectiveness in work
b. Communication skills
c. Productive activities
d. Fulfilling relationships - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d. Fulfilling relationships
Which belief will best support a nurse's efforts to provide client advocacy during a
multidisciplinary client care planning session?
a. All mental illnesses are culturally determined.
b. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are cross-cultural disorders.
c. Symptoms of mental disorders are unchanged from culture to culture.
Questions 2026 With Correct Answers
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 client ratios must
be better because of the nature of the clients' 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." - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by
those situations."
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." - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be experiencing a mental illness?
a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
,d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b.
reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's admission form. Which resource
should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems
(ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource would
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✨-d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job.
The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) is to clinical judgment as
Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
a. client outcomes.
b. nursing actions.
c. diagnosis.
d. symptoms. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-b. nursing actions.
,An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have learned that what I get
out of something is proportional to the effort I put into it." Which number on this mental health
continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness Mental Health
12345
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5 - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-e. 5
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
a. Epilepsy
b. Schizophrenia
c. Running amok
d. Major depressive disorder - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-c. Running amok
What does the DSM-V classify?
a. deviant behaviors
b. present disability or distress
c. people with mental disorders
d. mental disorders - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d) Mental disorders
The DSM-V classifies disorders people have rather than people themselves.
A citizen at a community health fair asks the nurse, "What is the most prevalent mental disorder in the
United States?" Select the nurse's correct response.
, a. Schizophrenia
b. Bipolar disorder
c. Dissociative fugue
d. Alzheimer's disease - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d. Alzheimer's disease
In the majority culture of the United States, which individual has the greatest risk to be
labeled mentally ill?
a. One who describes hearing God's voice speaking.
b. One who is usually pessimistic but strives to meet personal goals.
c. One who is wealthy and gives away $20 bills to needy individuals.
d. One who always has an optimistic viewpoint about life - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-a. One who
describes hearing God's voice speaking.
A client's relationships are intense and unstable. The client initially idealizes the significant other and
then devalues him or her, resulting in frequent feelings of emptiness. This client will benefit from
interventions to develop which aspect of mental health?
a. Effectiveness in work
b. Communication skills
c. Productive activities
d. Fulfilling relationships - CORRECT ANSWER✔✨-d. Fulfilling relationships
Which belief will best support a nurse's efforts to provide client advocacy during a
multidisciplinary client care planning session?
a. All mental illnesses are culturally determined.
b. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are cross-cultural disorders.
c. Symptoms of mental disorders are unchanged from culture to culture.
