PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH
NURSING COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
2026–2027
Purpose: Comprehensive nursing review and exam-preparation resource
Audience: Nursing students preparing for psychiatric-mental health nursing examinations and NCLEX-
style clinical judgment questions
Educational note: This resource is an original study guide. Medication information should always be
verified against the current medication reference, facility policy, and prescriber instructions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Therapeutic Communication
2. Mental Status Examination
3. Anxiety Disorders
4. Depressive Disorders
5. Bipolar Disorders
6. Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
7. Personality Disorders
8. Trauma-Related Disorders
9. Substance-Use Disorders
10. Eating Disorders
11. Suicide Risk Assessment
12. Crisis Intervention
13. Grief and Loss
14. Cognitive Disorders
15. Older-Adult Mental Health
16. Psychiatric Medications
17. Medication Adverse Effects
18. Patient Safety
, 19. De-escalation
20. Legal and Ethical Considerations
21. 100 Practice Questions
22. Answer Key
23. Therapeutic Communication Phrases
24. Psychiatric Medication Safety Table
25. Suicide-Risk Priority Checklist
26. 25 High-Yield Concepts
1. THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
Definition
Therapeutic communication is purposeful communication used by nurses to establish trust, obtain
information, promote understanding, support coping, and facilitate patient safety and recovery.
Essential Techniques
Open-ended questions
Encourage the patient to describe experiences in their own words.
Example:
"Can you tell me what has been troubling you?"
Reflection
Directs the patient's statement back to them.
Patient: "I feel like nobody understands me."
Nurse: "You feel misunderstood."
Clarification
Used when the patient's statement is unclear.
Nurse: "When you say you feel unsafe, what does unsafe mean to you?"
Restatement
Repeats the main idea using different words.
Patient: "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Nurse: "You're unsure about what to do next."
Validation
,Acknowledges the patient's experience without necessarily agreeing with an inaccurate belief.
Nurse: "That sounds frightening."
Focusing
Keeps the conversation centered on an important issue.
Nurse: "You mentioned feeling hopeless. Tell me more about that."
Silence
Allows the patient time to think and communicate.
Offering self
Communicates presence and availability.
Nurse: "I'll stay with you for a while."
Summarizing
Reviews important information discussed during the interaction.
Nontherapeutic Communication
Avoid:
• "Why did you do that?"
• False reassurance
• Giving unsolicited advice
• Changing the subject
• Arguing
• Challenging feelings
• Excessive questioning
• "Everything will be fine."
• "I know exactly how you feel."
• Judgmental statements
Therapeutic response to delusions
Do not validate the false belief.
Patient: "The television is sending messages directly to me."
Appropriate:
, "I understand that you believe the television is communicating with you. I don't perceive those
messages."
2. MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION
The mental status examination assesses the patient's current psychological functioning.
Major Components
Appearance
Assess:
• Hygiene
• Grooming
• Clothing
• Posture
• Eye contact
Behavior
Observe:
• Agitation
• Psychomotor retardation
• Cooperation
• Abnormal movements
Speech
Assess:
• Rate
• Volume
• Rhythm
• Fluency
• Amount
Mood
The patient's subjective emotional state.
NURSING COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
2026–2027
Purpose: Comprehensive nursing review and exam-preparation resource
Audience: Nursing students preparing for psychiatric-mental health nursing examinations and NCLEX-
style clinical judgment questions
Educational note: This resource is an original study guide. Medication information should always be
verified against the current medication reference, facility policy, and prescriber instructions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Therapeutic Communication
2. Mental Status Examination
3. Anxiety Disorders
4. Depressive Disorders
5. Bipolar Disorders
6. Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
7. Personality Disorders
8. Trauma-Related Disorders
9. Substance-Use Disorders
10. Eating Disorders
11. Suicide Risk Assessment
12. Crisis Intervention
13. Grief and Loss
14. Cognitive Disorders
15. Older-Adult Mental Health
16. Psychiatric Medications
17. Medication Adverse Effects
18. Patient Safety
, 19. De-escalation
20. Legal and Ethical Considerations
21. 100 Practice Questions
22. Answer Key
23. Therapeutic Communication Phrases
24. Psychiatric Medication Safety Table
25. Suicide-Risk Priority Checklist
26. 25 High-Yield Concepts
1. THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
Definition
Therapeutic communication is purposeful communication used by nurses to establish trust, obtain
information, promote understanding, support coping, and facilitate patient safety and recovery.
Essential Techniques
Open-ended questions
Encourage the patient to describe experiences in their own words.
Example:
"Can you tell me what has been troubling you?"
Reflection
Directs the patient's statement back to them.
Patient: "I feel like nobody understands me."
Nurse: "You feel misunderstood."
Clarification
Used when the patient's statement is unclear.
Nurse: "When you say you feel unsafe, what does unsafe mean to you?"
Restatement
Repeats the main idea using different words.
Patient: "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Nurse: "You're unsure about what to do next."
Validation
,Acknowledges the patient's experience without necessarily agreeing with an inaccurate belief.
Nurse: "That sounds frightening."
Focusing
Keeps the conversation centered on an important issue.
Nurse: "You mentioned feeling hopeless. Tell me more about that."
Silence
Allows the patient time to think and communicate.
Offering self
Communicates presence and availability.
Nurse: "I'll stay with you for a while."
Summarizing
Reviews important information discussed during the interaction.
Nontherapeutic Communication
Avoid:
• "Why did you do that?"
• False reassurance
• Giving unsolicited advice
• Changing the subject
• Arguing
• Challenging feelings
• Excessive questioning
• "Everything will be fine."
• "I know exactly how you feel."
• Judgmental statements
Therapeutic response to delusions
Do not validate the false belief.
Patient: "The television is sending messages directly to me."
Appropriate:
, "I understand that you believe the television is communicating with you. I don't perceive those
messages."
2. MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION
The mental status examination assesses the patient's current psychological functioning.
Major Components
Appearance
Assess:
• Hygiene
• Grooming
• Clothing
• Posture
• Eye contact
Behavior
Observe:
• Agitation
• Psychomotor retardation
• Cooperation
• Abnormal movements
Speech
Assess:
• Rate
• Volume
• Rhythm
• Fluency
• Amount
Mood
The patient's subjective emotional state.
