Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 | 2026/2027 | Mental Health Nursing | Fortis
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT - EXAM
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208
(Latest Update 2026/2027)
Mental Health Nursing
Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
A+ Verified
Edition: 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 75%
Undergraduate Nursing | Application / Analysis Level
COVER PAGE - 1
,SECTIONS COVERED
Section 1: Therapeutic Communication and the Nurse-Patient Relationship (Questions 1-10)
Section 2: Anxiety, Mood, and Depressive Disorders (Questions 11-20)
Section 3: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Psychotic Disorders (Questions 21-30)
Section 4: Personality Disorders, Substance Use, and Crisis Intervention (Questions 31-40)
Section 5: Psychopharmacology, Legal-Ethical Issues, and Special Populations (Questions 41-50)
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing
This examination assesses application and analysis of mental health nursing concepts including therapeutic communication,
mood and psychotic disorders, personality and substance-related conditions, crisis intervention, psychopharmacology, and
legal-ethical practice. Each question is worth 1 mark. Passing score is 75%.
SECTION 1: Therapeutic Communication and the Nurse-Patient Relationship
Question 1
A 28-year-old client admitted for major depressive disorder sits silently during the initial interview and avoids eye contact. The
nurse wants to establish rapport while respecting the client's current emotional state. Which nursing action best demonstrates
therapeutic communication at this moment?
A. Sit quietly with the client for several minutes and then offer a neutral observation such as "It seems hard to talk right now."
B. Ask a series of closed-ended questions to obtain the necessary admission data quickly.
C. Encourage the client to share feelings by saying "You must be feeling very sad; tell me about it."
D. Leave the room and return later when the client appears more ready to interact.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sitting quietly and offering a neutral observation conveys acceptance and presence without pressure. Closed-ended questions or
premature interpretation can shut down communication, while leaving may be perceived as rejection.
Question 2
During a group therapy session, a client begins to disclose intimate details about past trauma. Another client interrupts and says,
"We don't need to hear all that." The nurse recognizes this as an opportunity to model therapeutic group process. What is the
most appropriate response?
A. Redirect the group by saying "Let's stay focused on today's agenda and move on."
B. Address the interrupting client with "I notice you interrupted; can you share what made that difficult to hear?"
C. Support the disclosing client by saying "You have every right to share whatever you want here."
D. End the group early because the atmosphere has become too charged.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gently addressing the interruption models boundary setting and invites exploration of group dynamics. Simply redirecting or taking
sides misses the therapeutic opportunity to process interpersonal reactions.
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing | Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
Page 2
, Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who repeatedly asks the same question about discharge plans even after receiving a clear answer.
The nurse feels frustrated and begins to answer more curtly. Which self-awareness strategy should the nurse use first?
A. Recognize the rising irritation as a cue to examine personal feelings and maintain professional boundaries.
B. Ask a colleague to take over the assignment for the remainder of the shift.
C. Explain to the client that the question has already been answered and further repetition is unhelpful.
D. Document the client's perseveration as evidence of cognitive impairment.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Self-awareness begins with noticing one's own emotional response. Managing countertransference protects the therapeutic
relationship. Transferring care or confronting the client may be appropriate later but are not the first step.
Question 4
A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder tells the nurse, "You are the only one who understands me. The other
nurses are cold and uncaring." The nurse recognizes this statement as an example of which defense mechanism?
A. Splitting, which involves viewing people as all good or all bad.
B. Projection, in which the client attributes own feelings onto staff.
C. Reaction formation, shown by expressing opposite emotions.
D. Intellectualization, demonstrated by excessive use of abstract reasoning.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Splitting is the classic defense in borderline personality disorder in which others are idealized or devalued. Recognizing it helps the
nurse avoid being drawn into team splitting and maintain consistent limits.
Question 5
While discussing discharge planning, a client with schizophrenia states, "The voices tell me not to take the medicine once I leave."
The nurse wishes to explore this without reinforcing the delusion. Which response is most therapeutic?
A. "I understand the voices are real for you; let's talk about how the medication has helped you stay safe."
B. "Those voices are not real, so you should ignore them and continue the medication."
C. "If you don't take the medicine, you will have to come back to the hospital."
D. "Tell the voices that the doctor ordered the medicine and they must listen."
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acknowledging the client's experience while gently redirecting to the benefits of medication maintains trust and reality orientation
without arguing about the voices' existence.
Question 6
A nurse is preparing to conduct a mental status examination on a newly admitted client. The client answers questions with long,
loosely connected stories that never return to the original topic. The nurse correctly identifies this speech pattern as which finding?
A. Tangentiality, in which the client digresses and never returns to the point.
B. Circumstantiality, in which excessive detail is given but the point is eventually reached.
C. Flight of ideas, characterized by rapid topic shifts linked by loose associations.
D. Clang associations, demonstrated by rhyming or sound-based word choices.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Tangentiality never returns to the original question, whereas circumstantiality eventually does. Flight of ideas is faster and more
pressured; clang associations rely on sound rather than meaning.
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing | Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
Page 3
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT - EXAM
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208
(Latest Update 2026/2027)
Mental Health Nursing
Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
A+ Verified
Edition: 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 75%
Undergraduate Nursing | Application / Analysis Level
COVER PAGE - 1
,SECTIONS COVERED
Section 1: Therapeutic Communication and the Nurse-Patient Relationship (Questions 1-10)
Section 2: Anxiety, Mood, and Depressive Disorders (Questions 11-20)
Section 3: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Psychotic Disorders (Questions 21-30)
Section 4: Personality Disorders, Substance Use, and Crisis Intervention (Questions 31-40)
Section 5: Psychopharmacology, Legal-Ethical Issues, and Special Populations (Questions 41-50)
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing
This examination assesses application and analysis of mental health nursing concepts including therapeutic communication,
mood and psychotic disorders, personality and substance-related conditions, crisis intervention, psychopharmacology, and
legal-ethical practice. Each question is worth 1 mark. Passing score is 75%.
SECTION 1: Therapeutic Communication and the Nurse-Patient Relationship
Question 1
A 28-year-old client admitted for major depressive disorder sits silently during the initial interview and avoids eye contact. The
nurse wants to establish rapport while respecting the client's current emotional state. Which nursing action best demonstrates
therapeutic communication at this moment?
A. Sit quietly with the client for several minutes and then offer a neutral observation such as "It seems hard to talk right now."
B. Ask a series of closed-ended questions to obtain the necessary admission data quickly.
C. Encourage the client to share feelings by saying "You must be feeling very sad; tell me about it."
D. Leave the room and return later when the client appears more ready to interact.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sitting quietly and offering a neutral observation conveys acceptance and presence without pressure. Closed-ended questions or
premature interpretation can shut down communication, while leaving may be perceived as rejection.
Question 2
During a group therapy session, a client begins to disclose intimate details about past trauma. Another client interrupts and says,
"We don't need to hear all that." The nurse recognizes this as an opportunity to model therapeutic group process. What is the
most appropriate response?
A. Redirect the group by saying "Let's stay focused on today's agenda and move on."
B. Address the interrupting client with "I notice you interrupted; can you share what made that difficult to hear?"
C. Support the disclosing client by saying "You have every right to share whatever you want here."
D. End the group early because the atmosphere has become too charged.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gently addressing the interruption models boundary setting and invites exploration of group dynamics. Simply redirecting or taking
sides misses the therapeutic opportunity to process interpersonal reactions.
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing | Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
Page 2
, Question 3
A nurse is caring for a client who repeatedly asks the same question about discharge plans even after receiving a clear answer.
The nurse feels frustrated and begins to answer more curtly. Which self-awareness strategy should the nurse use first?
A. Recognize the rising irritation as a cue to examine personal feelings and maintain professional boundaries.
B. Ask a colleague to take over the assignment for the remainder of the shift.
C. Explain to the client that the question has already been answered and further repetition is unhelpful.
D. Document the client's perseveration as evidence of cognitive impairment.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Self-awareness begins with noticing one's own emotional response. Managing countertransference protects the therapeutic
relationship. Transferring care or confronting the client may be appropriate later but are not the first step.
Question 4
A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder tells the nurse, "You are the only one who understands me. The other
nurses are cold and uncaring." The nurse recognizes this statement as an example of which defense mechanism?
A. Splitting, which involves viewing people as all good or all bad.
B. Projection, in which the client attributes own feelings onto staff.
C. Reaction formation, shown by expressing opposite emotions.
D. Intellectualization, demonstrated by excessive use of abstract reasoning.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Splitting is the classic defense in borderline personality disorder in which others are idealized or devalued. Recognizing it helps the
nurse avoid being drawn into team splitting and maintain consistent limits.
Question 5
While discussing discharge planning, a client with schizophrenia states, "The voices tell me not to take the medicine once I leave."
The nurse wishes to explore this without reinforcing the delusion. Which response is most therapeutic?
A. "I understand the voices are real for you; let's talk about how the medication has helped you stay safe."
B. "Those voices are not real, so you should ignore them and continue the medication."
C. "If you don't take the medicine, you will have to come back to the hospital."
D. "Tell the voices that the doctor ordered the medicine and they must listen."
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acknowledging the client's experience while gently redirecting to the benefits of medication maintains trust and reality orientation
without arguing about the voices' existence.
Question 6
A nurse is preparing to conduct a mental status examination on a newly admitted client. The client answers questions with long,
loosely connected stories that never return to the original topic. The nurse correctly identifies this speech pattern as which finding?
A. Tangentiality, in which the client digresses and never returns to the point.
B. Circumstantiality, in which excessive detail is given but the point is eventually reached.
C. Flight of ideas, characterized by rapid topic shifts linked by loose associations.
D. Clang associations, demonstrated by rhyming or sound-based word choices.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Tangentiality never returns to the original question, whereas circumstantiality eventually does. Flight of ideas is faster and more
pressured; clang associations rely on sound rather than meaning.
Exam 3: NUR208 / NUR 208 (Latest Update 2026/2027) Mental Health Nursing | Questions and Verified Answers | 100% Correct - Fortis 2026/2027
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