NURS 320 / Psychiatric Mental Health Final
Exam 2026/2027 Questions and 100% Correct
Answers
OVERVIEW:
NURS 320 / Psychiatric Mental Health Final Exam covers PTSD
assessment, diagnostic criteria, intrusive and dissociative
symptoms, and differences between acute stress and PTSD across
children, adolescents, and adults. Topics include sertraline teaching,
EMDR, exposure therapy, prazosin for nightmares, sleep hygiene,
self-harm monitoring, OCD circumstantial speech and cue cards,
trichotillomania coping, intermittent explosive disorder, anger
management, restraints, conversion and somatic symptom disorders,
dissociative disorders, secondary gain, resilience training, and
bereavement responses with evidence-based rationales.
Correct answer highlighted in bold Green + rationales.
Question 1
A client with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has just been prescribed
sertraline by her primary care provider. What topic should the nurse include during
health education?
A) The importance of avoiding alcohol use during treatment
B) The need to avoid grapefruit juice or fresh grapefruit
C) The importance of avoiding aged cheese, wine, beer and shellfish
D) The need to monitor blood pressure during treatment
Rationale: Sertraline is an SSRI. Alcohol should be avoided as it worsens depression
and interacts with SSRIs. Grapefruit avoidance is for some other meds, aged
cheese/wine is for MAOIs, BP monitoring is not primary for SSRIs but sertraline can
cause activation. Avoid alcohol and teach about SSRI side effects and serotonin
syndrome.
,Question 2
The nurse leads an education session regarding the effect of suppressing anger on the
body. Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching?
A) Managing my anger might help my depression get better.
B) Being angry all the time overstimulates my nervous system.
C) I need to stop feeling angry or I won't be healthy.
D) If I figure out how to lower my anger, it's healthier for me.
Rationale: Anger is a normal emotion; goal is healthy expression and management,
not suppression of feeling. Suppressing anger overstimulates sympathetic nervous
system and can worsen depression. Statement C indicates need for further teaching
because it suggests eliminating the feeling entirely.
Question 3
The nurse is planning the care of a client who has been referred for the treatment of
trichotillomania. What outcome should the nurse prioritize when planning care?
A) The client will demonstrate the ability to block obsessive thoughts
B) The client will demonstrate healthy skills for coping with anxiety
C) The client will adhere to benzodiazepine therapy
D) The client will maintain adequate skin integrity
Rationale: Trichotillomania (hair-pulling) is related to anxiety and is in OCD-related
disorders. Priority is developing healthy coping skills for anxiety. Benzodiazepines
are not first-line; habit reversal and CBT are priorities.
Question 4
A client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) answers the nurse's
assessment questions but adds a lot of irrelevant details in their answers. What is the
most therapeutic approach by the nurse when client uses circumferential speech?
A) Reschedule the interview for another time when the client can focus.
B) Remain patient and allow the client to express their thoughts.
C) Ask the question again to have the client focus on the question.
, D) Redirect the client back to the focus of the conversation.
Rationale: Circumferential speech with irrelevant details is part of obsessional
ruminative thinking in OCD. It is beyond client's immediate awareness. Most
therapeutic is to remain patient and allow expression to build rapport. Frequent
redirection interferes with therapeutic relationship during initial assessment.
Question 5
When giving a community lecture about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for
clients and their families, a nurse would include which of the following topics for
discussion? Select all that apply. A) Daily use of a sedative will assist with rest and
sleep. B) Try to identify triggers that lead to reexperiencing the trauma. C) Find
people who can assist with watching the client during stressful periods. D) Try
various treatment options if one does not help. E) Do not discuss smoking cessation
techniques if the client is stressed.
A) Daily use of a sedative will assist with rest and sleep.
B) Try to identify triggers that lead to reexperiencing the trauma.
C) Find people who can assist with watching the client during stressful periods.
D) Try various treatment options if one does not help.
E) Do not discuss smoking cessation techniques if the client is stressed.
Rationale: Correct teaching for PTSD: Identify individual triggers and cues that lead
to reexperiencing, develop safety plans for stressful periods, focus on personal
strengths, discuss risk factors for recurrence, explore various treatment options if
one does not help, avoid alcohol/drugs, sleep hygiene, exercise, nutrition, follow-up
and community resources. Sedatives daily and avoiding smoking cessation teaching
are incorrect. Correct answers are B and D (and safety plan C). Per your file: B and D
are marked correct.
Question 6
The nurse performs an admission assessment on a client who has been diagnosed
with intermittent explosive disorder. The nurse anticipates which treatment will be
part of the client's treatment plan?
A) cardio-boxing physical therapy
B) exposure therapy
Exam 2026/2027 Questions and 100% Correct
Answers
OVERVIEW:
NURS 320 / Psychiatric Mental Health Final Exam covers PTSD
assessment, diagnostic criteria, intrusive and dissociative
symptoms, and differences between acute stress and PTSD across
children, adolescents, and adults. Topics include sertraline teaching,
EMDR, exposure therapy, prazosin for nightmares, sleep hygiene,
self-harm monitoring, OCD circumstantial speech and cue cards,
trichotillomania coping, intermittent explosive disorder, anger
management, restraints, conversion and somatic symptom disorders,
dissociative disorders, secondary gain, resilience training, and
bereavement responses with evidence-based rationales.
Correct answer highlighted in bold Green + rationales.
Question 1
A client with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has just been prescribed
sertraline by her primary care provider. What topic should the nurse include during
health education?
A) The importance of avoiding alcohol use during treatment
B) The need to avoid grapefruit juice or fresh grapefruit
C) The importance of avoiding aged cheese, wine, beer and shellfish
D) The need to monitor blood pressure during treatment
Rationale: Sertraline is an SSRI. Alcohol should be avoided as it worsens depression
and interacts with SSRIs. Grapefruit avoidance is for some other meds, aged
cheese/wine is for MAOIs, BP monitoring is not primary for SSRIs but sertraline can
cause activation. Avoid alcohol and teach about SSRI side effects and serotonin
syndrome.
,Question 2
The nurse leads an education session regarding the effect of suppressing anger on the
body. Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching?
A) Managing my anger might help my depression get better.
B) Being angry all the time overstimulates my nervous system.
C) I need to stop feeling angry or I won't be healthy.
D) If I figure out how to lower my anger, it's healthier for me.
Rationale: Anger is a normal emotion; goal is healthy expression and management,
not suppression of feeling. Suppressing anger overstimulates sympathetic nervous
system and can worsen depression. Statement C indicates need for further teaching
because it suggests eliminating the feeling entirely.
Question 3
The nurse is planning the care of a client who has been referred for the treatment of
trichotillomania. What outcome should the nurse prioritize when planning care?
A) The client will demonstrate the ability to block obsessive thoughts
B) The client will demonstrate healthy skills for coping with anxiety
C) The client will adhere to benzodiazepine therapy
D) The client will maintain adequate skin integrity
Rationale: Trichotillomania (hair-pulling) is related to anxiety and is in OCD-related
disorders. Priority is developing healthy coping skills for anxiety. Benzodiazepines
are not first-line; habit reversal and CBT are priorities.
Question 4
A client diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) answers the nurse's
assessment questions but adds a lot of irrelevant details in their answers. What is the
most therapeutic approach by the nurse when client uses circumferential speech?
A) Reschedule the interview for another time when the client can focus.
B) Remain patient and allow the client to express their thoughts.
C) Ask the question again to have the client focus on the question.
, D) Redirect the client back to the focus of the conversation.
Rationale: Circumferential speech with irrelevant details is part of obsessional
ruminative thinking in OCD. It is beyond client's immediate awareness. Most
therapeutic is to remain patient and allow expression to build rapport. Frequent
redirection interferes with therapeutic relationship during initial assessment.
Question 5
When giving a community lecture about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for
clients and their families, a nurse would include which of the following topics for
discussion? Select all that apply. A) Daily use of a sedative will assist with rest and
sleep. B) Try to identify triggers that lead to reexperiencing the trauma. C) Find
people who can assist with watching the client during stressful periods. D) Try
various treatment options if one does not help. E) Do not discuss smoking cessation
techniques if the client is stressed.
A) Daily use of a sedative will assist with rest and sleep.
B) Try to identify triggers that lead to reexperiencing the trauma.
C) Find people who can assist with watching the client during stressful periods.
D) Try various treatment options if one does not help.
E) Do not discuss smoking cessation techniques if the client is stressed.
Rationale: Correct teaching for PTSD: Identify individual triggers and cues that lead
to reexperiencing, develop safety plans for stressful periods, focus on personal
strengths, discuss risk factors for recurrence, explore various treatment options if
one does not help, avoid alcohol/drugs, sleep hygiene, exercise, nutrition, follow-up
and community resources. Sedatives daily and avoiding smoking cessation teaching
are incorrect. Correct answers are B and D (and safety plan C). Per your file: B and D
are marked correct.
Question 6
The nurse performs an admission assessment on a client who has been diagnosed
with intermittent explosive disorder. The nurse anticipates which treatment will be
part of the client's treatment plan?
A) cardio-boxing physical therapy
B) exposure therapy
