Mental Health
Nursing A Clinical 9th Edition by
Margaret Jordan Halter
All Chapter 1-36
,
,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.