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NURS 610A EXAM 3 UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE
NURSING PROGRAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE (100)
CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
NURS
Prepare for the NURS 610A Exam 3 with a focused study resource designed to
reinforce advanced nursing concepts and clinical decision-making. It provides
targeted review of key areas such as pathophysiology, patient assessment, critical
care concepts, mental health, and evidence-based nursing practice. Use the material
to strengthen clinical reasoning, improve recall of essential concepts, and identify
topics that may require additional review before the exam. This resource is best suited
for NURS 610A nursing students and advanced nursing learners preparing for Exam 3.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
QUESTIONS 1–100
SECTION 1: PSYCHOSIS, CRISIS INTERVENTION & PSYCHIATRIC
EMERGENCIES
1. A patient with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations
and delusions of persecution. The nurse recognizes these as:
A) Negative symptoms of psychoses
B) Positive symptoms of psychoses
C) Cognitive symptoms of psychoses
D) Affective symptoms of psychoses
Answer: B) Positive symptoms of psychoses
Rationale: Positive symptoms are things that are there that should not be
there, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.
Negative symptoms are things that are not there that should be there,
such as avolition, asociality, and diminished emotional expression.
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2. A patient experiencing psychosis has a fixed, false belief that someone
is in love with them. This is an example of which type of delusion?
A) Persecutory delusion
B) Grandiose delusion
C) Erotomanic delusion
D) Somatic delusion
Answer: C) Erotomanic delusion
Rationale: Erotomanic delusions involve the false belief that another
person (often of higher status) is in love with the individual. Persecutory
delusions involve beliefs that others are out to get you, grandiose
delusions involve exaggerated self-importance, and somatic delusions
involve beliefs about bodily functions or sensations.
3. Which of the following is the definition of a negative symptom
associated with psychoses?
A) Behaviors that are present but exaggerated
B) Things that are not there that should be there
C) Excessive emotional responses to stimuli
D) Disorganized speech and behavior
Answer: B) Things that are not there that should be there
Rationale: Negative symptoms are deficits or losses of normal
functions—things that are not present but should be. Examples include
avolition (lack of motivation), asociality (social withdrawal), diminished
emotional expression, flat affect, and anhedonia.
4. Which of the following is an example of a negative symptom associated
with psychoses?
A) Hallucinations
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B) Delusions
C) Avolition
D) Disorganized speech
Answer: C) Avolition
Rationale: Avolition (lack of motivation) is a negative symptom
representing a deficit or loss of normal function. Hallucinations,
delusions, and disorganized speech are all positive symptoms
representing an excess or distortion of normal functions.
5. A psychiatric patient has been pacing, clenching fists, and staring
intensely at staff members. The nurse uses the Broset Violence Checklist
and scores the patient as a 3. What is the appropriate interpretation?
A) The patient is at low risk for violence
B) The patient is at moderate risk for violence
C) The patient is at high risk for violence
D) The patient requires immediate seclusion
Answer: C) The patient is at high risk for violence
Rationale: The Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) assesses six behaviors:
confusion, irritability, boisterousness, verbal threats, physical threats,
and attacks on objects. A score of 3 or higher indicates an increased risk
of violence. Scores of 0-1 indicate low risk, 2 indicates moderate risk, and
3+ indicates high risk.
6. When a patient is experiencing delusions, the nurse should:
A) Reinforce what the patient is experiencing and not argue with them
B) Not reinforce the delusion and not try to convince them they are wrong
C) Tell the patient the voices are not real
D) Ignore the patient until the hallucinations stop
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Answer: B) Not reinforce the delusion and not try to convince them they
are wrong
Rationale: The nurse should not reinforce the delusion and should not try
to convince the patient they are wrong. Arguing with a delusional patient
can escalate anxiety and damage the therapeutic relationship. Instead,
the nurse should use redirection to a different topic, focus on something
that is true, or help the patient remember a time when they did not feel
this way.
7. What is the ultimate goal of crisis intervention?
A) Administering medications
B) Returning the patient to baseline functioning
C) Placing the patient in restraints
D) Diagnosing the underlying psychiatric disorder
Answer: B) Returning the patient to baseline functioning
Rationale: The ultimate goal of crisis intervention is to return the patient
to their baseline level of functioning. Crisis intervention focuses on
stabilization, de-escalation, and helping the patient regain their previous
level of coping and functioning. Restraints are a last resort. Diagnosis is a
long-term goal.
8. True or False: Seclusion and restraints should be used as first-line
treatment when dealing with crisis.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B) False
Rationale: Seclusion and restraints should NOT be used as first-line
treatment. They are considered last-resort interventions when less
restrictive measures have failed and the patient poses an imminent
NURS 610A EXAM 3 UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE
NURSING PROGRAM 2026/2027 COMPLETE (100)
CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
NURS
Prepare for the NURS 610A Exam 3 with a focused study resource designed to
reinforce advanced nursing concepts and clinical decision-making. It provides
targeted review of key areas such as pathophysiology, patient assessment, critical
care concepts, mental health, and evidence-based nursing practice. Use the material
to strengthen clinical reasoning, improve recall of essential concepts, and identify
topics that may require additional review before the exam. This resource is best suited
for NURS 610A nursing students and advanced nursing learners preparing for Exam 3.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
QUESTIONS 1–100
SECTION 1: PSYCHOSIS, CRISIS INTERVENTION & PSYCHIATRIC
EMERGENCIES
1. A patient with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations
and delusions of persecution. The nurse recognizes these as:
A) Negative symptoms of psychoses
B) Positive symptoms of psychoses
C) Cognitive symptoms of psychoses
D) Affective symptoms of psychoses
Answer: B) Positive symptoms of psychoses
Rationale: Positive symptoms are things that are there that should not be
there, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.
Negative symptoms are things that are not there that should be there,
such as avolition, asociality, and diminished emotional expression.
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2. A patient experiencing psychosis has a fixed, false belief that someone
is in love with them. This is an example of which type of delusion?
A) Persecutory delusion
B) Grandiose delusion
C) Erotomanic delusion
D) Somatic delusion
Answer: C) Erotomanic delusion
Rationale: Erotomanic delusions involve the false belief that another
person (often of higher status) is in love with the individual. Persecutory
delusions involve beliefs that others are out to get you, grandiose
delusions involve exaggerated self-importance, and somatic delusions
involve beliefs about bodily functions or sensations.
3. Which of the following is the definition of a negative symptom
associated with psychoses?
A) Behaviors that are present but exaggerated
B) Things that are not there that should be there
C) Excessive emotional responses to stimuli
D) Disorganized speech and behavior
Answer: B) Things that are not there that should be there
Rationale: Negative symptoms are deficits or losses of normal
functions—things that are not present but should be. Examples include
avolition (lack of motivation), asociality (social withdrawal), diminished
emotional expression, flat affect, and anhedonia.
4. Which of the following is an example of a negative symptom associated
with psychoses?
A) Hallucinations
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B) Delusions
C) Avolition
D) Disorganized speech
Answer: C) Avolition
Rationale: Avolition (lack of motivation) is a negative symptom
representing a deficit or loss of normal function. Hallucinations,
delusions, and disorganized speech are all positive symptoms
representing an excess or distortion of normal functions.
5. A psychiatric patient has been pacing, clenching fists, and staring
intensely at staff members. The nurse uses the Broset Violence Checklist
and scores the patient as a 3. What is the appropriate interpretation?
A) The patient is at low risk for violence
B) The patient is at moderate risk for violence
C) The patient is at high risk for violence
D) The patient requires immediate seclusion
Answer: C) The patient is at high risk for violence
Rationale: The Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) assesses six behaviors:
confusion, irritability, boisterousness, verbal threats, physical threats,
and attacks on objects. A score of 3 or higher indicates an increased risk
of violence. Scores of 0-1 indicate low risk, 2 indicates moderate risk, and
3+ indicates high risk.
6. When a patient is experiencing delusions, the nurse should:
A) Reinforce what the patient is experiencing and not argue with them
B) Not reinforce the delusion and not try to convince them they are wrong
C) Tell the patient the voices are not real
D) Ignore the patient until the hallucinations stop
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Answer: B) Not reinforce the delusion and not try to convince them they
are wrong
Rationale: The nurse should not reinforce the delusion and should not try
to convince the patient they are wrong. Arguing with a delusional patient
can escalate anxiety and damage the therapeutic relationship. Instead,
the nurse should use redirection to a different topic, focus on something
that is true, or help the patient remember a time when they did not feel
this way.
7. What is the ultimate goal of crisis intervention?
A) Administering medications
B) Returning the patient to baseline functioning
C) Placing the patient in restraints
D) Diagnosing the underlying psychiatric disorder
Answer: B) Returning the patient to baseline functioning
Rationale: The ultimate goal of crisis intervention is to return the patient
to their baseline level of functioning. Crisis intervention focuses on
stabilization, de-escalation, and helping the patient regain their previous
level of coping and functioning. Restraints are a last resort. Diagnosis is a
long-term goal.
8. True or False: Seclusion and restraints should be used as first-line
treatment when dealing with crisis.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B) False
Rationale: Seclusion and restraints should NOT be used as first-line
treatment. They are considered last-resort interventions when less
restrictive measures have failed and the patient poses an imminent
