VARCAROLIS'
FOUNDATIONS OF
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH NURSING: A
CLINICAL APPROACH
Practice Examination — 9th & 10th Editions
Questions 1–50
Instructions: This examination consists of 50 multiple-choice questions drawn from the
Halter test banks for the 9th and 10th editions. Each question is followed by the correct
answer and a detailed rationale.
Question 1
A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional intervention?
A. Conduct mental health assessments
B. Prescribe psychotropic medication
C. Establish therapeutic relationships
D. Individualize nursing care plans
Answer: B
,Rationale: In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master's-prepared nurse
practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing
medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health
assessments, establish relationships, and provide individualized care planning .
Question 2
A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical
nursing skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
A. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
B. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to
solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
C. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
D. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses do. That appeals to me."
Answer: B
Rationale: The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than
medical-surgical nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be
able to help patients with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the
holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in
psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves
clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as
physical pain and suffering .
Question 3
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a
mental illness?
A. The patient reports occasional sadness.
B. The patient has a mood alteration that affects daily functioning.
,C. The patient experiences stress after a job loss.
D. The patient feels anxious before a presentation.
Answer: B
Rationale: The correct response describes a mood alteration that reflects mental illness.
The distracters describe behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of
human experience .
Question 4
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved for an adult patient? The patient:
A. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
B. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
C. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
D. seeks help from others when assuming responsibility for major areas of own life.
Answer: A
Rationale: The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The distracters
describe maladaptive behaviors .
Question 5
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission
form. Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish
this diagnosis?
A. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-
10)
B. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
C. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
D. A behavioral health reference manual
Answer: C
, Rationale: The DSM-5 gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. It is the
official guideline for diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The distracters may not contain
diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric illness .
Question 6
The DSM-5 classifies:
A. deviant behaviors.
B. present disability or distress.
C. people with mental disorders.
D. mental disorders people have.
Answer: D
Rationale: The DSM-5 classifies disorders people have rather than people themselves.
The terminology of the tool reflects this distinction by referring to individuals with a
disorder rather than as a "schizophrenic" or "alcoholic," for example. Deviant behavior is
not generally considered a mental disorder. Present disability or distress is only one
aspect of the diagnosis .
Question 7
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
A. Epilepsy
B. Schizophrenia
C. Running amok
D. Major depressive disorder
Answer: C
Rationale: Culture-bound syndromes occur in specific sociocultural contexts and are
easily recognized by people in those cultures. A syndrome recognized in parts of
Southeast Asia is running amok, in which a person (usually a male) runs around
engaging in furious, almost indiscriminate violent behavior .
FOUNDATIONS OF
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH NURSING: A
CLINICAL APPROACH
Practice Examination — 9th & 10th Editions
Questions 1–50
Instructions: This examination consists of 50 multiple-choice questions drawn from the
Halter test banks for the 9th and 10th editions. Each question is followed by the correct
answer and a detailed rationale.
Question 1
A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional intervention?
A. Conduct mental health assessments
B. Prescribe psychotropic medication
C. Establish therapeutic relationships
D. Individualize nursing care plans
Answer: B
,Rationale: In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master's-prepared nurse
practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing
medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental health
assessments, establish relationships, and provide individualized care planning .
Question 2
A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical
nursing skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
A. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
B. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to
solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
C. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
D. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses do. That appeals to me."
Answer: B
Rationale: The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than
medical-surgical nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be
able to help patients with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the
holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in
psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves
clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as
physical pain and suffering .
Question 3
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a
mental illness?
A. The patient reports occasional sadness.
B. The patient has a mood alteration that affects daily functioning.
,C. The patient experiences stress after a job loss.
D. The patient feels anxious before a presentation.
Answer: B
Rationale: The correct response describes a mood alteration that reflects mental illness.
The distracters describe behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of
human experience .
Question 4
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved for an adult patient? The patient:
A. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
B. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
C. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
D. seeks help from others when assuming responsibility for major areas of own life.
Answer: A
Rationale: The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The distracters
describe maladaptive behaviors .
Question 5
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission
form. Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish
this diagnosis?
A. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-
10)
B. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
C. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
D. A behavioral health reference manual
Answer: C
, Rationale: The DSM-5 gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. It is the
official guideline for diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The distracters may not contain
diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric illness .
Question 6
The DSM-5 classifies:
A. deviant behaviors.
B. present disability or distress.
C. people with mental disorders.
D. mental disorders people have.
Answer: D
Rationale: The DSM-5 classifies disorders people have rather than people themselves.
The terminology of the tool reflects this distinction by referring to individuals with a
disorder rather than as a "schizophrenic" or "alcoholic," for example. Deviant behavior is
not generally considered a mental disorder. Present disability or distress is only one
aspect of the diagnosis .
Question 7
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
A. Epilepsy
B. Schizophrenia
C. Running amok
D. Major depressive disorder
Answer: C
Rationale: Culture-bound syndromes occur in specific sociocultural contexts and are
easily recognized by people in those cultures. A syndrome recognized in parts of
Southeast Asia is running amok, in which a person (usually a male) runs around
engaging in furious, almost indiscriminate violent behavior .
