DEROTC ORP · 9102 HM
★ ★ ATI Nursing Education
ATI Mental Health Proctored Examination 2019
EST. 1998
EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED
ATI Mental Health — Proctored Exam 2019
CO M P R E H E N S I V E R E V I E W — A L R E A DY G RA D E D A +
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education COURSE CODE Mental Health Proctored 2019
PROGRAM RN Nursing Program ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Mental Health Proctored Exam — TOTAL QUESTIONS 86 Questions
A+
COURSE TITLE Mental Health Nursing FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the
Single Best Answer
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question.
▸ Questions cover all major mental health nursing content areas.
▸ Topics include therapeutic communication, psychopharmacology, and psychiatric disorders.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
▸ All clinical data reflects current evidence-based psychiatric nursing practice.
, SECTION I — MENTAL HEALTH NURSING:
Questions 1 – 86
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW 2019
1. A client is fearful of driving and enters a behavioral therapy program to help him
overcome his anxiety. Using systematic desensitization, he is able to drive down a familiar
street without experiencing a panic attack. The nurse should recognize that to continue
positive results, the client should participate in which of the following?
A. Biofeedback
B. Therapist modeling
C. Frequent pacing
D. Positive reinforcement
CORRECT ANSWER A — Biofeedback
RATIONALE Biofeedback helps clients gain voluntary control over autonomic functions like
heart rate and blood pressure. This can help maintain the positive results
achieved through systematic desensitization by providing ongoing self-regulation
skills.
2. A nurse is counseling a client following the death of the client's partner 8 months ago.
Which of the following client statements indicates maladaptive grieving?
A. "I am so sorry for the times I was angry with my partner."
B. "I like looking at his personal items in the closet."
C. "I find myself thinking about my partner often."
D. "I still don't feel up to returning to work."
CORRECT ANSWER D — "I still don't feel up to returning to work."
RATIONALE Eight months is too long for the client to still be unable to perform activities of
daily living. This indicates maladaptive grief with distorted or exaggerated grief
response. Risk factors include being dependent upon the deceased and pre-
existing mental health issues.
,3. A nurse in an inpatient mental health facility is assessing a client who has schizophrenia
and is taking haloperidol (antipsychotic, 1st generation). Which of the following clinical
findings is the nurse's priority?
A. Headache
B. Insomnia
C. Urinary hesitancy
D. High fever
CORRECT ANSWER D — High fever
RATIONALE High fever is a complication of agranulocytosis and can indicate neuroleptic
malignant syndrome, which is a medical emergency. Other complications include
acute dystonia, pseudoparkinsonism, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and
neuroendocrine effects.
4. A nurse is planning care for a client who has obsessive compulsive disorder. Which of the
following recommendations should the nurse include in the client's plan of care?
A. Reality Orientation therapy
B. Operant Conditioning
C. Thought Stopping
D. Validation Therapy
CORRECT ANSWER C — Thought Stopping
RATIONALE Thought stopping is a behavioral therapy technique where the client says "stop"
when compulsive behaviors arise and substitutes a positive thought. This helps
interrupt the obsessive-compulsive cycle and is an appropriate intervention for
OCD.
, 5. A nurse is caring for a client who is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
A. Provide in-depth explanation of nursing expectations
B. Encourage the client to participate in group activities
C. Avoid power struggles by remaining neutral
D. Allow the client to set limits for his behavior
CORRECT ANSWER C — Avoid power struggles by remaining neutral
RATIONALE During the manic phase, the nurse should avoid power struggles by remaining
neutral and not reacting personally to the client's comments. The nurse should
provide concise explanations, decrease stimulation, and set limits for the client's
behavior.
6. A nurse is providing behavioral therapy for a client who has OCD. The client repeatedly
checks that the doors are locked at night. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse give the client when using thought stopping technique?
A. "Keep a journal of how often you check the locks each night."
B. "Ask a family member to check the locks for you at night."
C. "Focus on abdominal breathing whenever you go to check the locks."
D. "Snap a rubber band on your wrist when you think about checking the locks."
CORRECT ANSWER D — "Snap a rubber band on your wrist when you think about checking the
locks."
RATIONALE Thought stopping involves teaching the client to say "stop" when negative
thoughts or compulsive behaviors arise and substitute a positive thought. Using a
rubber band snap provides a physical cue to interrupt the compulsive thought
pattern.
★ ★ ATI Nursing Education
ATI Mental Health Proctored Examination 2019
EST. 1998
EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED
ATI Mental Health — Proctored Exam 2019
CO M P R E H E N S I V E R E V I E W — A L R E A DY G RA D E D A +
INSTITUTION ATI Nursing Education COURSE CODE Mental Health Proctored 2019
PROGRAM RN Nursing Program ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Mental Health Proctored Exam — TOTAL QUESTIONS 86 Questions
A+
COURSE TITLE Mental Health Nursing FORMAT Multiple Choice — Select the
Single Best Answer
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ Select the single best answer for each question.
▸ Questions cover all major mental health nursing content areas.
▸ Topics include therapeutic communication, psychopharmacology, and psychiatric disorders.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question.
▸ All clinical data reflects current evidence-based psychiatric nursing practice.
, SECTION I — MENTAL HEALTH NURSING:
Questions 1 – 86
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW 2019
1. A client is fearful of driving and enters a behavioral therapy program to help him
overcome his anxiety. Using systematic desensitization, he is able to drive down a familiar
street without experiencing a panic attack. The nurse should recognize that to continue
positive results, the client should participate in which of the following?
A. Biofeedback
B. Therapist modeling
C. Frequent pacing
D. Positive reinforcement
CORRECT ANSWER A — Biofeedback
RATIONALE Biofeedback helps clients gain voluntary control over autonomic functions like
heart rate and blood pressure. This can help maintain the positive results
achieved through systematic desensitization by providing ongoing self-regulation
skills.
2. A nurse is counseling a client following the death of the client's partner 8 months ago.
Which of the following client statements indicates maladaptive grieving?
A. "I am so sorry for the times I was angry with my partner."
B. "I like looking at his personal items in the closet."
C. "I find myself thinking about my partner often."
D. "I still don't feel up to returning to work."
CORRECT ANSWER D — "I still don't feel up to returning to work."
RATIONALE Eight months is too long for the client to still be unable to perform activities of
daily living. This indicates maladaptive grief with distorted or exaggerated grief
response. Risk factors include being dependent upon the deceased and pre-
existing mental health issues.
,3. A nurse in an inpatient mental health facility is assessing a client who has schizophrenia
and is taking haloperidol (antipsychotic, 1st generation). Which of the following clinical
findings is the nurse's priority?
A. Headache
B. Insomnia
C. Urinary hesitancy
D. High fever
CORRECT ANSWER D — High fever
RATIONALE High fever is a complication of agranulocytosis and can indicate neuroleptic
malignant syndrome, which is a medical emergency. Other complications include
acute dystonia, pseudoparkinsonism, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and
neuroendocrine effects.
4. A nurse is planning care for a client who has obsessive compulsive disorder. Which of the
following recommendations should the nurse include in the client's plan of care?
A. Reality Orientation therapy
B. Operant Conditioning
C. Thought Stopping
D. Validation Therapy
CORRECT ANSWER C — Thought Stopping
RATIONALE Thought stopping is a behavioral therapy technique where the client says "stop"
when compulsive behaviors arise and substitutes a positive thought. This helps
interrupt the obsessive-compulsive cycle and is an appropriate intervention for
OCD.
, 5. A nurse is caring for a client who is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
A. Provide in-depth explanation of nursing expectations
B. Encourage the client to participate in group activities
C. Avoid power struggles by remaining neutral
D. Allow the client to set limits for his behavior
CORRECT ANSWER C — Avoid power struggles by remaining neutral
RATIONALE During the manic phase, the nurse should avoid power struggles by remaining
neutral and not reacting personally to the client's comments. The nurse should
provide concise explanations, decrease stimulation, and set limits for the client's
behavior.
6. A nurse is providing behavioral therapy for a client who has OCD. The client repeatedly
checks that the doors are locked at night. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse give the client when using thought stopping technique?
A. "Keep a journal of how often you check the locks each night."
B. "Ask a family member to check the locks for you at night."
C. "Focus on abdominal breathing whenever you go to check the locks."
D. "Snap a rubber band on your wrist when you think about checking the locks."
CORRECT ANSWER D — "Snap a rubber band on your wrist when you think about checking the
locks."
RATIONALE Thought stopping involves teaching the client to say "stop" when negative
thoughts or compulsive behaviors arise and substitute a positive thought. Using a
rubber band snap provides a physical cue to interrupt the compulsive thought
pattern.
