Galen College of Nursing NUR 253 Exam 3 (pdf) | 2026/2027 | Mental
Health Q&A |
1. A nurse is caring for a client who is being involuntarily committed to a
psychiatric facility. Which of the following criteria must be met for involuntary
commitment?
A) The client requests to be admitted for safety
B) The client is a danger to self or others or is unable to care for basic needs
C) The client has a history of previous psychiatric hospitalizations
D) The client's family requests the admission
Correct Answer: The client is a danger to self or others or is unable to care
for basic needs
Rationale: Involuntary commitment is a legal process that requires clear
evidence that the client poses an imminent danger to themselves or others,
or is gravely disabled and unable to provide for their own basic needs. The
client's request or family's wishes do not meet this legal standard.
2. A nurse is providing care to a client who has been deemed incompetent by
a court. Which of the following is the most accurate understanding of this
legal status?
A) The client cannot make any decisions about their care
B) The client has been found unable to make informed decisions regarding
their own welfare
C) The client has voluntarily surrendered their rights
D) The client is unable to communicate their preferences
Correct Answer: The client has been found unable to make informed
decisions regarding their own welfare
,Rationale: Incompetence is a legal determination made by a court that an
individual is unable to make reasoned decisions about their own welfare. It is
a specific finding that affects legal rights, such as the ability to sign contracts
or consent to treatment.
3. A client tells the nurse, "I'm going to kill my neighbor when I get home."
The nurse discusses this statement with the healthcare provider. This action
is protected by which legal concept?
A) Client confidentiality
B) HIPAA
C) Duty to warn
D) Informed consent
Correct Answer: Duty to warn
Rationale: The duty to warn, established by the Tarasoff decision, requires a
healthcare provider to breach confidentiality to protect an identifiable victim
from serious, imminent harm. The client's statement identifies a specific
victim and a specific threat.
4. A nurse is reviewing the principle of autonomy. Which action by the nurse
best demonstrates this ethical principle?
A) The nurse respects the client's right to refuse a medication
B) The nurse administers a medication over the client's objection
C) The nurse makes a treatment decision for the client
D) The nurse withholds information from the client to prevent anxiety
Correct Answer: The nurse respects the client's right to refuse a medication
,Rationale: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects an individual's right
to self-determination and to make their own decisions. Respecting a client's
refusal of treatment is a direct application of this principle.
5. A nurse is providing care to a client who is leaving the hospital against
medical advice (AMA). Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A) Physically restrain the client to prevent them from leaving
B) Notify security to detain the client
C) Discuss the risks of leaving with the client and document the conversation
D) Tell the client they cannot leave without a physician's order
Correct Answer: Discuss the risks of leaving with the client and document the
conversation
Rationale: Clients have the right to leave the hospital against medical advice.
The nurse's responsibility is to inform the client of the risks, attempt to
persuade them to stay, and thoroughly document the conversation and the
client's decision.
6. A nurse is caring for a client who has a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order.
Which of the following actions is consistent with this order?
A) The nurse initiates CPR if the client's heart stops
B) The nurse withholds all life-sustaining treatments
C) The nurse provides comfort care and does not initiate CPR
D) The nurse discontinues all medications
Correct Answer: The nurse provides comfort care and does not initiate CPR
Rationale: A DNR order specifically means that cardiopulmonary resuscitation
will not be initiated if the client's heart or breathing stops. It does not mean
, that all other treatments are withheld; the client should still receive comfort
care and other appropriate interventions.
7. A client with a history of alcohol use disorder is being admitted to the unit.
The nurse anticipates using the CIWA-Ar tool. What is the primary purpose of
this tool?
A) To assess the client's motivation to change
B) To evaluate the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
C) To screen for alcohol use disorder
D) To determine the client's risk for relapse
Correct Answer: To evaluate the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Rationale: The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised
(CIWA-Ar) is the standard tool used to assess the severity of alcohol
withdrawal symptoms and guide pharmacological treatment.
8. A client is admitted with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a complication of
chronic alcohol use. This syndrome is caused by a deficiency in which
vitamin?
A) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
B) Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
C) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
D) Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Correct Answer: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Rationale: Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a severe neurological disorder
caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency, often seen in individuals with
chronic alcohol use disorder.
Health Q&A |
1. A nurse is caring for a client who is being involuntarily committed to a
psychiatric facility. Which of the following criteria must be met for involuntary
commitment?
A) The client requests to be admitted for safety
B) The client is a danger to self or others or is unable to care for basic needs
C) The client has a history of previous psychiatric hospitalizations
D) The client's family requests the admission
Correct Answer: The client is a danger to self or others or is unable to care
for basic needs
Rationale: Involuntary commitment is a legal process that requires clear
evidence that the client poses an imminent danger to themselves or others,
or is gravely disabled and unable to provide for their own basic needs. The
client's request or family's wishes do not meet this legal standard.
2. A nurse is providing care to a client who has been deemed incompetent by
a court. Which of the following is the most accurate understanding of this
legal status?
A) The client cannot make any decisions about their care
B) The client has been found unable to make informed decisions regarding
their own welfare
C) The client has voluntarily surrendered their rights
D) The client is unable to communicate their preferences
Correct Answer: The client has been found unable to make informed
decisions regarding their own welfare
,Rationale: Incompetence is a legal determination made by a court that an
individual is unable to make reasoned decisions about their own welfare. It is
a specific finding that affects legal rights, such as the ability to sign contracts
or consent to treatment.
3. A client tells the nurse, "I'm going to kill my neighbor when I get home."
The nurse discusses this statement with the healthcare provider. This action
is protected by which legal concept?
A) Client confidentiality
B) HIPAA
C) Duty to warn
D) Informed consent
Correct Answer: Duty to warn
Rationale: The duty to warn, established by the Tarasoff decision, requires a
healthcare provider to breach confidentiality to protect an identifiable victim
from serious, imminent harm. The client's statement identifies a specific
victim and a specific threat.
4. A nurse is reviewing the principle of autonomy. Which action by the nurse
best demonstrates this ethical principle?
A) The nurse respects the client's right to refuse a medication
B) The nurse administers a medication over the client's objection
C) The nurse makes a treatment decision for the client
D) The nurse withholds information from the client to prevent anxiety
Correct Answer: The nurse respects the client's right to refuse a medication
,Rationale: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects an individual's right
to self-determination and to make their own decisions. Respecting a client's
refusal of treatment is a direct application of this principle.
5. A nurse is providing care to a client who is leaving the hospital against
medical advice (AMA). Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A) Physically restrain the client to prevent them from leaving
B) Notify security to detain the client
C) Discuss the risks of leaving with the client and document the conversation
D) Tell the client they cannot leave without a physician's order
Correct Answer: Discuss the risks of leaving with the client and document the
conversation
Rationale: Clients have the right to leave the hospital against medical advice.
The nurse's responsibility is to inform the client of the risks, attempt to
persuade them to stay, and thoroughly document the conversation and the
client's decision.
6. A nurse is caring for a client who has a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order.
Which of the following actions is consistent with this order?
A) The nurse initiates CPR if the client's heart stops
B) The nurse withholds all life-sustaining treatments
C) The nurse provides comfort care and does not initiate CPR
D) The nurse discontinues all medications
Correct Answer: The nurse provides comfort care and does not initiate CPR
Rationale: A DNR order specifically means that cardiopulmonary resuscitation
will not be initiated if the client's heart or breathing stops. It does not mean
, that all other treatments are withheld; the client should still receive comfort
care and other appropriate interventions.
7. A client with a history of alcohol use disorder is being admitted to the unit.
The nurse anticipates using the CIWA-Ar tool. What is the primary purpose of
this tool?
A) To assess the client's motivation to change
B) To evaluate the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
C) To screen for alcohol use disorder
D) To determine the client's risk for relapse
Correct Answer: To evaluate the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Rationale: The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised
(CIWA-Ar) is the standard tool used to assess the severity of alcohol
withdrawal symptoms and guide pharmacological treatment.
8. A client is admitted with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a complication of
chronic alcohol use. This syndrome is caused by a deficiency in which
vitamin?
A) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
B) Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
C) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
D) Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Correct Answer: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Rationale: Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a severe neurological disorder
caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency, often seen in individuals with
chronic alcohol use disorder.
