MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY NURS 661 EXAM 3 |
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH 100% RATED EXPERT
SOLUTIONS |2026 LATEST UPDATED
SECTION 1: SUICIDE, VIOLENCE & HOMICIDAL IDEATION
1. Which demographic group is at the highest risk for completing suicide?
• A) Adolescent females
• B) Middle-aged males
• C) Older white males
• D) Young adults
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Older white males have the highest rate of completed suicides. Risk is
particularly elevated among those who are single, divorced, or recently widowed .
2. Which psychiatric diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of suicide?
• A) Generalized anxiety disorder
• B) Schizophrenia
• C) Social anxiety disorder
• D) Specific phobia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Schizophrenia is one of the psychiatric conditions with the highest
suicide risk. Other risk factors include being single, never married, divorced,
recently widowed, having previous suicide attempts, and adolescents with
depression who are bullied or have a family history of suicide .
,3. Which factors are considered protective against suicide? (Select all that apply)
• A) Having children
• B) Strong religious beliefs
• C) Supportive relationships with healthcare providers
• D) History of multiple suicide attempts
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: Protective factors include having children, strong religious beliefs, and
supportive relationships with healthcare providers and therapists. A history of
suicide attempts is a risk factor, not a protective factor .
4. What does "lethality" refer to in the context of suicide assessment?
• A) The patient's desire to die
• B) The probability that a chosen method will result in death
• C) The frequency of suicidal thoughts
• D) The duration of suicidal ideation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lethality refers to how likely a suicide method is to result in death.
Higher lethality methods (e.g., firearms, jumping from heights) pose greater risk .
5. What does "intent" mean when assessing suicide risk?
• A) The patient's suicidal thoughts
• B) The strength of a person's expectation or desire to die through their
actions
• C) The lethality of the method chosen
, • D) A history of previous attempts
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Intent reflects how strongly a person expects or desires to die. High
intent combined with high lethality indicates the most serious risk .
6. What qualifies as a suicide attempt?
• A) Any thought about suicide
• B) Any deliberate, self-harming behavior that is life-threatening but does
not result in death
• C) Any self-harming behavior without intent to die
• D) Suicidal thoughts with a plan
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A suicide attempt is defined as a deliberate, self-harming behavior that
is life-threatening but does not result in death. This is distinguished from suicidal
ideation, which involves thoughts about suicide without action .
7. A patient expresses thoughts of harming someone. Which question should
the PMHNP ask first?
• A) "Have you been feeling angry lately?"
• B) "Why do you want to harm this person?"
• C) "Do you have thoughts of harming someone?"
• D) "Is this person a family member?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When assessing for homicidal ideation, the PMHNP should ask directly:
"Do you have thoughts of harming someone?" Follow-up questions include
, identifying the target, the plan, access to means, and whether the patient intends
to carry out the act .
8. What is the PMHNP's legal responsibility when a patient expresses homicidal
intent?
• A) Maintain patient confidentiality
• B) The clinician has a duty to warn the potential victim and take necessary
legal steps to prevent harm
• C) Only document the statement in the chart
• D) Inform the patient's family only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The clinician has a duty to warn the potential victim and take necessary
legal steps to prevent harm, based on state laws. This is known as the duty to
protect or duty to warn .
9. Where in the brain is violence and aggression most commonly linked?
• A) Amygdala
• B) Prefrontal cortex
• C) Hypothalamus
• D) Hippocampus
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Violence and aggression are commonly associated with dysfunction in
the prefrontal cortex. This area is responsible for impulse control and executive
functioning .
10. Risk factors for suicide include: (Select all that apply)
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH 100% RATED EXPERT
SOLUTIONS |2026 LATEST UPDATED
SECTION 1: SUICIDE, VIOLENCE & HOMICIDAL IDEATION
1. Which demographic group is at the highest risk for completing suicide?
• A) Adolescent females
• B) Middle-aged males
• C) Older white males
• D) Young adults
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Older white males have the highest rate of completed suicides. Risk is
particularly elevated among those who are single, divorced, or recently widowed .
2. Which psychiatric diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of suicide?
• A) Generalized anxiety disorder
• B) Schizophrenia
• C) Social anxiety disorder
• D) Specific phobia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Schizophrenia is one of the psychiatric conditions with the highest
suicide risk. Other risk factors include being single, never married, divorced,
recently widowed, having previous suicide attempts, and adolescents with
depression who are bullied or have a family history of suicide .
,3. Which factors are considered protective against suicide? (Select all that apply)
• A) Having children
• B) Strong religious beliefs
• C) Supportive relationships with healthcare providers
• D) History of multiple suicide attempts
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: Protective factors include having children, strong religious beliefs, and
supportive relationships with healthcare providers and therapists. A history of
suicide attempts is a risk factor, not a protective factor .
4. What does "lethality" refer to in the context of suicide assessment?
• A) The patient's desire to die
• B) The probability that a chosen method will result in death
• C) The frequency of suicidal thoughts
• D) The duration of suicidal ideation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lethality refers to how likely a suicide method is to result in death.
Higher lethality methods (e.g., firearms, jumping from heights) pose greater risk .
5. What does "intent" mean when assessing suicide risk?
• A) The patient's suicidal thoughts
• B) The strength of a person's expectation or desire to die through their
actions
• C) The lethality of the method chosen
, • D) A history of previous attempts
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Intent reflects how strongly a person expects or desires to die. High
intent combined with high lethality indicates the most serious risk .
6. What qualifies as a suicide attempt?
• A) Any thought about suicide
• B) Any deliberate, self-harming behavior that is life-threatening but does
not result in death
• C) Any self-harming behavior without intent to die
• D) Suicidal thoughts with a plan
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A suicide attempt is defined as a deliberate, self-harming behavior that
is life-threatening but does not result in death. This is distinguished from suicidal
ideation, which involves thoughts about suicide without action .
7. A patient expresses thoughts of harming someone. Which question should
the PMHNP ask first?
• A) "Have you been feeling angry lately?"
• B) "Why do you want to harm this person?"
• C) "Do you have thoughts of harming someone?"
• D) "Is this person a family member?"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When assessing for homicidal ideation, the PMHNP should ask directly:
"Do you have thoughts of harming someone?" Follow-up questions include
, identifying the target, the plan, access to means, and whether the patient intends
to carry out the act .
8. What is the PMHNP's legal responsibility when a patient expresses homicidal
intent?
• A) Maintain patient confidentiality
• B) The clinician has a duty to warn the potential victim and take necessary
legal steps to prevent harm
• C) Only document the statement in the chart
• D) Inform the patient's family only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The clinician has a duty to warn the potential victim and take necessary
legal steps to prevent harm, based on state laws. This is known as the duty to
protect or duty to warn .
9. Where in the brain is violence and aggression most commonly linked?
• A) Amygdala
• B) Prefrontal cortex
• C) Hypothalamus
• D) Hippocampus
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Violence and aggression are commonly associated with dysfunction in
the prefrontal cortex. This area is responsible for impulse control and executive
functioning .
10. Risk factors for suicide include: (Select all that apply)
