NU 136 GALEN COLLEGE OF NURSING – EXAM 5 | EXAM PRACTICE | STUDY GUIDE |
TESTBANK | PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | EXAM PREPARATION | ADVANCED
REVIEW | COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAM | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027
Examiner:
Galen College of Nursing
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Mental Health Nursing Foundations
2. Therapeutic Communication
3. Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders
4. Mood Disorders
5. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
6. Substance Use Disorders
7. Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
8. Psychiatric Medications
9. Safety and Milieu Management
10. Legal and Ethical Considerations in Psychiatric Nursing
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING || THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION || ANXIETY DISORDERS ||
MOOD DISORDERS || SCHIZOPHRENIA || SUBSTANCE USE || SUICIDE PREVENTION ||
CRISIS INTERVENTION || PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY || SAFETY || LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITIES || ETHICAL DECISION MAKING || PATIENT-CENTERED CARE ||
,CLINICAL JUDGMENT || EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE || COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
PREPARATION
QUESTION 1.
A client admitted with severe anxiety begins pacing rapidly, wringing their hands, and
states, "I feel like something terrible is about to happen." Which nursing intervention is the
highest priority?
A. Encourage the client to participate in a group discussion.
B. Move the client to a quiet environment and use brief, calm communication.
C. Ask the client to identify irrational thoughts.
D. Teach deep analysis of cognitive distortions.
🔴 Correct Answer: B. Move the client to a quiet environment and use brief, calm
communication.
🔵 Explanation: During severe anxiety, the client's ability to process information is
significantly reduced. A calm environment with simple communication helps reduce external
stimuli and promotes emotional stabilization. Group participation and cognitive
restructuring are generally more effective after anxiety decreases.
QUESTION 2.
,A nurse observes a client with schizophrenia laughing while alone and responding to
unseen stimuli. Which nursing response demonstrates appropriate therapeutic
communication?
A. "Those voices are not real, so you should ignore them."
B. "What are the voices saying to you right now?"
C. "Why do you believe people are talking to you?"
D. "You shouldn't focus on hallucinations."
🔴 Correct Answer: B. "What are the voices saying to you right now?"
🔵 Explanation: Assessing the content of hallucinations helps determine whether the client is
at risk of harming themselves or others while acknowledging the client's experience without
reinforcing the hallucination. Simply dismissing or challenging the hallucination may
damage trust and increase anxiety.
QUESTION 3.
A client prescribed lithium reports nausea, coarse hand tremors, confusion, and difficulty
walking. Which action should the nurse perform first?
A. Encourage increased caffeine intake.
B. Document the symptoms and reassess later.
C. Hold the medication and notify the provider immediately.
D. Administer the next scheduled dose with food.
, 🔴 Correct Answer: C. Hold the medication and notify the provider immediately.
🔵 Explanation: These findings are consistent with lithium toxicity, which requires immediate
intervention to prevent serious neurological and cardiovascular complications. Continuing
lithium or delaying evaluation may worsen toxicity.
QUESTION 4.
A nurse is caring for a client experiencing mania who has not slept for three days and
frequently interrupts others. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Allow unrestricted participation in all activities.
B. Assign multiple staff members to reinforce limits.
C. Provide frequent high-calorie finger foods and establish consistent limits.
D. Encourage lengthy discussions about future plans.
🔴 Correct Answer: C. Provide frequent high-calorie finger foods and establish
consistent limits.
🔵 Explanation: Clients experiencing mania often have increased energy and poor attention
to meals, making portable nutritious foods appropriate. Consistent limit setting promotes
safety and behavioral control. Lengthy conversations and excessive stimulation can worsen
manic symptoms.
TESTBANK | PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | EXAM PREPARATION | ADVANCED
REVIEW | COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAM | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027
Examiner:
Galen College of Nursing
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Mental Health Nursing Foundations
2. Therapeutic Communication
3. Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders
4. Mood Disorders
5. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
6. Substance Use Disorders
7. Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
8. Psychiatric Medications
9. Safety and Milieu Management
10. Legal and Ethical Considerations in Psychiatric Nursing
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING || THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION || ANXIETY DISORDERS ||
MOOD DISORDERS || SCHIZOPHRENIA || SUBSTANCE USE || SUICIDE PREVENTION ||
CRISIS INTERVENTION || PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY || SAFETY || LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITIES || ETHICAL DECISION MAKING || PATIENT-CENTERED CARE ||
,CLINICAL JUDGMENT || EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE || COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
PREPARATION
QUESTION 1.
A client admitted with severe anxiety begins pacing rapidly, wringing their hands, and
states, "I feel like something terrible is about to happen." Which nursing intervention is the
highest priority?
A. Encourage the client to participate in a group discussion.
B. Move the client to a quiet environment and use brief, calm communication.
C. Ask the client to identify irrational thoughts.
D. Teach deep analysis of cognitive distortions.
🔴 Correct Answer: B. Move the client to a quiet environment and use brief, calm
communication.
🔵 Explanation: During severe anxiety, the client's ability to process information is
significantly reduced. A calm environment with simple communication helps reduce external
stimuli and promotes emotional stabilization. Group participation and cognitive
restructuring are generally more effective after anxiety decreases.
QUESTION 2.
,A nurse observes a client with schizophrenia laughing while alone and responding to
unseen stimuli. Which nursing response demonstrates appropriate therapeutic
communication?
A. "Those voices are not real, so you should ignore them."
B. "What are the voices saying to you right now?"
C. "Why do you believe people are talking to you?"
D. "You shouldn't focus on hallucinations."
🔴 Correct Answer: B. "What are the voices saying to you right now?"
🔵 Explanation: Assessing the content of hallucinations helps determine whether the client is
at risk of harming themselves or others while acknowledging the client's experience without
reinforcing the hallucination. Simply dismissing or challenging the hallucination may
damage trust and increase anxiety.
QUESTION 3.
A client prescribed lithium reports nausea, coarse hand tremors, confusion, and difficulty
walking. Which action should the nurse perform first?
A. Encourage increased caffeine intake.
B. Document the symptoms and reassess later.
C. Hold the medication and notify the provider immediately.
D. Administer the next scheduled dose with food.
, 🔴 Correct Answer: C. Hold the medication and notify the provider immediately.
🔵 Explanation: These findings are consistent with lithium toxicity, which requires immediate
intervention to prevent serious neurological and cardiovascular complications. Continuing
lithium or delaying evaluation may worsen toxicity.
QUESTION 4.
A nurse is caring for a client experiencing mania who has not slept for three days and
frequently interrupts others. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Allow unrestricted participation in all activities.
B. Assign multiple staff members to reinforce limits.
C. Provide frequent high-calorie finger foods and establish consistent limits.
D. Encourage lengthy discussions about future plans.
🔴 Correct Answer: C. Provide frequent high-calorie finger foods and establish
consistent limits.
🔵 Explanation: Clients experiencing mania often have increased energy and poor attention
to meals, making portable nutritious foods appropriate. Consistent limit setting promotes
safety and behavioral control. Lengthy conversations and excessive stimulation can worsen
manic symptoms.
