NURS 546 Exam 2 questions with complete
solutions latest 2026/27 edition
1. what is essential to a psychosocial assessment? Answer: - complex
and challenging
- essential in care of older adults
- can identify underlying causes of mental changes
- improve quality of life
2. what is the complex process of psychosocial assessment?
Answer: - addresses body-mind-spirit needs - good
communication skills
- appropriate interview questions
- purposeful observations
- relevant assessment tools
3. what is the purpose of psychosocial assessment? Answer: - detect
asymptomatic or unacknowledged health problems at early stage
- identify signs/symptoms of psychosocial dysfunction
- identify stressors and other risk factors
- information regarding person's usual personality, coping, cognitive
abilities
- identify social support and coping resources
- identify the order adult's personal goals for psychosocial wellness
4. what is the procedure for psychosocial assessment? Answer: -
interviewing older adult and caregiver with observation
- done on admission for baseline for planning care
- obtain information from family and others who can provide reliable
history
- tools include trusting relationship, listening ear, intuitive mind,
sensitive heart, and good communication skills
5. what is the scope of the psychosocial assessment? Answer: -
identify unique meaning of life
events
,- identify effects on health
- include questions about pets since they may be significant in their life
- assess the meaning of medical conditions and functional limitation
- important for nurses to communicate a nonjudgmental attitude during
interactions
6. what are communication skills for psychosocial assessment?
Answer: - communication technique is essential tool for establishing
trusting relationship - address communication barriers
- clarification of messages
- nonverbal communication
7. what are some communication barriers? Answer: - visual or hearing
impairment
- external and internal distractions
- pathologic conditions
- adverse medication effects
- poor communication methods
- cultural differences
8. which of the following communication methods would be perceived
as sensitive communication?
a. giving reassurance as needed
b. changing the subject to avoid sensitive issues
c. minimizing a person's feelings
d. offering trite responses Answer: a. giving reassurance as needed
- communication methods that are perceived as insensitive, or even
uncaring, offensive, or condescending, include giving false
reassurances, offering trite responses, changing the subject to avoid
sensitive issues, jumping to conclusions, giving unwanted advice,
minimizing the person's feelings, and addressing older adults by any
title other than their preferred names
9. what is an organized approach to collecting data about a person's
psychoso-
cial function? Answer: mental status assessment
, 10. what are some mental status screening tools? Answer: - physical
appearance
- motor function, body language, psychomotor behaviors
- social skills
- response to the interview
- orientation
- alertness and attention
- memory
- speech and language characteristics
- calculation and higher language skills
11. what is the most important, complex cognitive ability? Answer:
decision making
12. what is included in decision making and executive function?
Answer: - determination of competency
- abstract thinking
- problem-solving abilities
- insight
- denial
- executive dysfunction
13. what is it called when mood, emotions and expressions of
emotions are affected? Answer: affective function
14. what are the guidelines for assessing affective function? Answer:
general mood, anxiety, self-esteem, depression, and happiness
15. what are the types of loss of contact with reality? Answer:
delusions, hallucinations, and illusions 16. what is considered loss of
contact with reality? Answer: dementia, delirium, psychotic disorders,
transient denial of a threatening reality
17. what are delusions associated with? Answer: - pathophysiologic
conditions
- dementia
- depression
- paranoid disorder
solutions latest 2026/27 edition
1. what is essential to a psychosocial assessment? Answer: - complex
and challenging
- essential in care of older adults
- can identify underlying causes of mental changes
- improve quality of life
2. what is the complex process of psychosocial assessment?
Answer: - addresses body-mind-spirit needs - good
communication skills
- appropriate interview questions
- purposeful observations
- relevant assessment tools
3. what is the purpose of psychosocial assessment? Answer: - detect
asymptomatic or unacknowledged health problems at early stage
- identify signs/symptoms of psychosocial dysfunction
- identify stressors and other risk factors
- information regarding person's usual personality, coping, cognitive
abilities
- identify social support and coping resources
- identify the order adult's personal goals for psychosocial wellness
4. what is the procedure for psychosocial assessment? Answer: -
interviewing older adult and caregiver with observation
- done on admission for baseline for planning care
- obtain information from family and others who can provide reliable
history
- tools include trusting relationship, listening ear, intuitive mind,
sensitive heart, and good communication skills
5. what is the scope of the psychosocial assessment? Answer: -
identify unique meaning of life
events
,- identify effects on health
- include questions about pets since they may be significant in their life
- assess the meaning of medical conditions and functional limitation
- important for nurses to communicate a nonjudgmental attitude during
interactions
6. what are communication skills for psychosocial assessment?
Answer: - communication technique is essential tool for establishing
trusting relationship - address communication barriers
- clarification of messages
- nonverbal communication
7. what are some communication barriers? Answer: - visual or hearing
impairment
- external and internal distractions
- pathologic conditions
- adverse medication effects
- poor communication methods
- cultural differences
8. which of the following communication methods would be perceived
as sensitive communication?
a. giving reassurance as needed
b. changing the subject to avoid sensitive issues
c. minimizing a person's feelings
d. offering trite responses Answer: a. giving reassurance as needed
- communication methods that are perceived as insensitive, or even
uncaring, offensive, or condescending, include giving false
reassurances, offering trite responses, changing the subject to avoid
sensitive issues, jumping to conclusions, giving unwanted advice,
minimizing the person's feelings, and addressing older adults by any
title other than their preferred names
9. what is an organized approach to collecting data about a person's
psychoso-
cial function? Answer: mental status assessment
, 10. what are some mental status screening tools? Answer: - physical
appearance
- motor function, body language, psychomotor behaviors
- social skills
- response to the interview
- orientation
- alertness and attention
- memory
- speech and language characteristics
- calculation and higher language skills
11. what is the most important, complex cognitive ability? Answer:
decision making
12. what is included in decision making and executive function?
Answer: - determination of competency
- abstract thinking
- problem-solving abilities
- insight
- denial
- executive dysfunction
13. what is it called when mood, emotions and expressions of
emotions are affected? Answer: affective function
14. what are the guidelines for assessing affective function? Answer:
general mood, anxiety, self-esteem, depression, and happiness
15. what are the types of loss of contact with reality? Answer:
delusions, hallucinations, and illusions 16. what is considered loss of
contact with reality? Answer: dementia, delirium, psychotic disorders,
transient denial of a threatening reality
17. what are delusions associated with? Answer: - pathophysiologic
conditions
- dementia
- depression
- paranoid disorder
