Chapter 1: Foundations-of-Psychiatric-Mental-Health-Nursing
1. The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted client.
Which would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on the individual's mental
health?
A. Not needing others for companionship
B. The ability to effectively manage stress
C. A family history of mental illness
D. Striving for total self-reliance
ANS: B
Rationale: Individual factors influencing mental health include coping or stress management
abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of separateness and
connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a healthy person would
need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness could relate to the
biologic makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on an individual's
mental health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and striving to attain this is likely to lead to
frustration and isolation.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Caring BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply
NOT: Multiple Choice
2. Which is true regarding mental health and mental illness?
A. Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable
in other cultures.
B. It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior
and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
D. Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.
ANS: C
Rationale: Mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive
self-concept, and emotional stability. Concepts of behavior that is acceptable and
unacceptable vary widely between cultures. Consequently, mental health or illness can be
difficult to discern. Persons who engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the
inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that may contribute to
mental illness.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
BLM: Cognitive Level: Analyze NOT: Multiple Choice
, 3. A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill because
she is so sad. Which is the nurse's best response?
A. "You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much
pain."
B. "You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have
experienced."
C. "Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's
death?"
D. "Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings."
ANS: B
Rationale: Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness.
Downplaying the client's grief does not appropriately address the client's concerns. The
quality of the relationship does not determine the presence of absence of mental illness.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Caring BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply
NOT: Multiple Choice
4. The nurse consults the DSM for what purpose?
A. To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B. To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C. To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D. To serve as a guide for client assessment
ANS: D
Rationale: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and
identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic
outcomes of treatment. The DSM does not provide coding for record-keeping or billing
purposes.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2-3 OBJ: 2
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply NOT: Multiple Choice
5. Legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which shift in care for the mentally
ill?
A. The widespread use of community-based services
B. The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C. Increased access to hospitalization
D. Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care
ANS: A
1. The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted client.
Which would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on the individual's mental
health?
A. Not needing others for companionship
B. The ability to effectively manage stress
C. A family history of mental illness
D. Striving for total self-reliance
ANS: B
Rationale: Individual factors influencing mental health include coping or stress management
abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of separateness and
connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a healthy person would
need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness could relate to the
biologic makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on an individual's
mental health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and striving to attain this is likely to lead to
frustration and isolation.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Caring BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply
NOT: Multiple Choice
2. Which is true regarding mental health and mental illness?
A. Behavior that may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable
in other cultures.
B. It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior
and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
D. Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill.
ANS: C
Rationale: Mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive
self-concept, and emotional stability. Concepts of behavior that is acceptable and
unacceptable vary widely between cultures. Consequently, mental health or illness can be
difficult to discern. Persons who engage in fantasies may be mentally healthy, but the
inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that may contribute to
mental illness.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
BLM: Cognitive Level: Analyze NOT: Multiple Choice
, 3. A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill because
she is so sad. Which is the nurse's best response?
A. "You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much
pain."
B. "You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have
experienced."
C. "Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's
death?"
D. "Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings."
ANS: B
Rationale: Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness.
Downplaying the client's grief does not appropriately address the client's concerns. The
quality of the relationship does not determine the presence of absence of mental illness.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2 OBJ: 1
NAT: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Caring BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply
NOT: Multiple Choice
4. The nurse consults the DSM for what purpose?
A. To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B. To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C. To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D. To serve as a guide for client assessment
ANS: D
Rationale: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and
identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic
outcomes of treatment. The DSM does not provide coding for record-keeping or billing
purposes.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 2-3 OBJ: 2
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
KEY: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply NOT: Multiple Choice
5. Legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which shift in care for the mentally
ill?
A. The widespread use of community-based services
B. The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C. Increased access to hospitalization
D. Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care
ANS: A
