Mental Health Nursing - Exam 1 (NUR 253 & NUR 256) 2026 |Galen
College
1. A nurse is performing a mental status examination on a patient. Which of the
following is an objective finding regarding the patient’s ‘affect’?
A. The patient reports feeling very sad.
B. The patient appears expressionless with a flat tone.
C. The patient describes having high energy levels.
D. The patient believes they have special powers.
Answer: B
Rationale: Affect is the objective, observable emotional expression of a patient (e.g., flat,
blunted, labile), whereas mood is the subjective state reported by the patient.
2. Which legal principle is violated when a nurse threatens to place a patient in
restraints if they do not take their medication?
A. Battery
B. Assault
C. Negligence
D. Libel
Answer: B
Rationale: Assault is an act that results in a person’s genuine fear and apprehension that
they will be touched without consent (a threat). Battery is the actual unconsented touching.
,3. During the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship, which of the
following is the primary goal?
A. Promoting the patient’s insight into their behavior.
B. Establishing trust and setting parameters for the relationship.
C. Resolving the patient’s identified problems.
D. Evaluating the progress toward goal attainment.
Answer: B
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on building rapport, establishing trust,
identifying boundaries, and defining the purpose of the relationship.
4. A patient says, ‘I can’t talk to you; you’re just like my mother who always
judged me.’ This is an example of:
A. Countertransference
B. Transference
C. Empathy
D. Sympathy
Answer: B
Rationale: Transference occurs when a patient unconsciously displaces feelings and
behaviors toward the nurse that were originally directed toward significant others in their
past.
5. Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the ‘fight or flight’
response and is often elevated in anxiety disorders?
A. Norepinephrine
B. GABA
C. Acetylcholine
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
, Rationale: Norepinephrine is involved in the fight-or-flight response. Excess levels are
associated with anxiety, while low levels are seen in depression.
6. According to Erikson’s stages of development, what is the primary task for an
individual in late adulthood (65+ years)?
A. Ego Integrity vs. Despair
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Generativity vs. Stagnation
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
Answer: A
Rationale: Late adulthood is characterized by the struggle between Ego Integrity (feeling
satisfied with one’s life) and Despair (regret over the past).
7. A nurse tells a patient, ‘I will be back in 15 minutes to check on you,’ and
returns exactly 15 minutes later. Which ethical principle is being demonstrated?
A. Veracity
B. Justice
C. Autonomy
D. Fidelity
Answer: D
Rationale: Fidelity refers to the obligation to be faithful to one’s commitments and keeping
promises.
8. Which part of the brain is primarily responsible for executive functions,
decision-making, and personality?
A. Occipital Lobe
B. Parietal Lobe
C. Frontal Lobe
D. Temporal Lobe
Answer: C
College
1. A nurse is performing a mental status examination on a patient. Which of the
following is an objective finding regarding the patient’s ‘affect’?
A. The patient reports feeling very sad.
B. The patient appears expressionless with a flat tone.
C. The patient describes having high energy levels.
D. The patient believes they have special powers.
Answer: B
Rationale: Affect is the objective, observable emotional expression of a patient (e.g., flat,
blunted, labile), whereas mood is the subjective state reported by the patient.
2. Which legal principle is violated when a nurse threatens to place a patient in
restraints if they do not take their medication?
A. Battery
B. Assault
C. Negligence
D. Libel
Answer: B
Rationale: Assault is an act that results in a person’s genuine fear and apprehension that
they will be touched without consent (a threat). Battery is the actual unconsented touching.
,3. During the orientation phase of the nurse-patient relationship, which of the
following is the primary goal?
A. Promoting the patient’s insight into their behavior.
B. Establishing trust and setting parameters for the relationship.
C. Resolving the patient’s identified problems.
D. Evaluating the progress toward goal attainment.
Answer: B
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on building rapport, establishing trust,
identifying boundaries, and defining the purpose of the relationship.
4. A patient says, ‘I can’t talk to you; you’re just like my mother who always
judged me.’ This is an example of:
A. Countertransference
B. Transference
C. Empathy
D. Sympathy
Answer: B
Rationale: Transference occurs when a patient unconsciously displaces feelings and
behaviors toward the nurse that were originally directed toward significant others in their
past.
5. Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the ‘fight or flight’
response and is often elevated in anxiety disorders?
A. Norepinephrine
B. GABA
C. Acetylcholine
D. Dopamine
Answer: A
, Rationale: Norepinephrine is involved in the fight-or-flight response. Excess levels are
associated with anxiety, while low levels are seen in depression.
6. According to Erikson’s stages of development, what is the primary task for an
individual in late adulthood (65+ years)?
A. Ego Integrity vs. Despair
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Generativity vs. Stagnation
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
Answer: A
Rationale: Late adulthood is characterized by the struggle between Ego Integrity (feeling
satisfied with one’s life) and Despair (regret over the past).
7. A nurse tells a patient, ‘I will be back in 15 minutes to check on you,’ and
returns exactly 15 minutes later. Which ethical principle is being demonstrated?
A. Veracity
B. Justice
C. Autonomy
D. Fidelity
Answer: D
Rationale: Fidelity refers to the obligation to be faithful to one’s commitments and keeping
promises.
8. Which part of the brain is primarily responsible for executive functions,
decision-making, and personality?
A. Occipital Lobe
B. Parietal Lobe
C. Frontal Lobe
D. Temporal Lobe
Answer: C
