,NUR 227 Exam 2 Psychiatric Nursing Questions And Answers
2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. Which finding is most characteristic of major depressive
disorder?
A) Persistent depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied by impaired
functioning
B) Recurrent periods of elevated mood only
C) Fixed false beliefs without mood symptoms
D) Progressive memory loss as the primary symptom
Correct Answer: A) Persistent depressed mood or loss of interest
accompanied by impaired functioning
Rationale: Major depression involves persistent mood disturbance or
anhedonia with associated cognitive, physical, and functional changes.
Q2. A patient with severe depression states, “My family would be
better off if I were dead.” What is the priority response?
A) “Try to think about your family differently.”
B) “Are you thinking about killing yourself, and have you made a plan?”
C) “You should not say things like that.”
D) “Let's discuss this after you feel calmer.”
Correct Answer: B) “Are you thinking about killing yourself, and have you
made a plan?”
Rationale: Direct assessment of suicidal thoughts, intent, plan, and means
is essential when hopeless or death-related statements are expressed.
Q3. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate for a severely
depressed patient who has very little energy?
A) Require attendance at all group activities
B) Provide several complex choices at once
C) Assist with basic self-care while encouraging manageable participation
D) Leave the patient completely alone
Correct Answer: C) Assist with basic self-care while encouraging manageable
participation
Rationale: Severe depression can impair motivation and energy, so
structured assistance with gradual independence is appropriate.
,Q4. A patient with depression has not eaten for most of the day.
Which intervention is most appropriate?
A) Insist that the patient eat a full meal in the dining room
B) Wait until the patient requests food
C) Restrict between-meal snacks
D) Offer small, nutrient-dense foods that require little effort to eat
Correct Answer: D) Offer small, nutrient-dense foods that require little effort
to eat
Rationale: Depression can reduce appetite and energy, making small, easy-
to-eat nutritious foods more manageable.
Q5. A patient started an antidepressant 1 week ago. Which teaching
is most appropriate?
A) Improvement may take several weeks even though some adverse effects
can occur sooner
B) The medication should work fully after the first dose
C) The medication should be stopped whenever symptoms improve
D) Doubling the dose will accelerate recovery
Correct Answer: A) Improvement may take several weeks even though some
adverse effects can occur sooner
Rationale: Antidepressant therapeutic effects generally develop gradually,
while adverse effects may appear earlier.
Q6. Why is suicide monitoring especially important during the early
phase of antidepressant treatment?
A) Antidepressants always cause suicidal behavior
B) Energy may improve before hopelessness and depressive thinking fully
resolve
C) Depression becomes psychotic in every patient
D) All antidepressants cause impulsive mania immediately
Correct Answer: B) Energy may improve before hopelessness and depressive
thinking fully resolve
Rationale: Increased energy before full mood improvement can give a
suicidal patient greater ability to act on existing thoughts.
Q7. Which finding in a patient taking an SSRI requires urgent
evaluation?
, A) Mild dry mouth
B) Temporary nausea
C) Fever, agitation, tremor, hyperreflexia, and diarrhea
D) Mild headache during the first few days
Correct Answer: C) Fever, agitation, tremor, hyperreflexia, and diarrhea
Rationale: This cluster is consistent with excessive serotonergic activity and
can become life-threatening.
Q8. A patient taking an MAOI should avoid which food?
A) Fresh apples
B) Plain rice
C) Steamed vegetables
D) Aged cheese
Correct Answer: D) Aged cheese
Rationale: Tyramine-rich foods can precipitate dangerous hypertension
when combined with monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
Q9. Which finding may indicate a hypertensive crisis in a patient
taking an MAOI?
A) Severe headache with markedly elevated blood pressure
B) Mild fatigue after exercise
C) Increased appetite
D) Slightly dry mouth
Correct Answer: A) Severe headache with markedly elevated blood pressure
Rationale: Excessive catecholamine activity from tyramine interaction can
cause acute severe hypertension and neurologic symptoms.
Q10. Which treatment may be considered for severe depression with
psychotic features, catatonia, or urgent need for rapid response?
A) Exposure therapy
B) Electroconvulsive therapy
C) Aversion therapy
D) Sleep restriction only
Correct Answer: B) Electroconvulsive therapy
Rationale: Electroconvulsive therapy can produce a rapid therapeutic
response in selected severe or treatment-resistant depressive presentations.
2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. Which finding is most characteristic of major depressive
disorder?
A) Persistent depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied by impaired
functioning
B) Recurrent periods of elevated mood only
C) Fixed false beliefs without mood symptoms
D) Progressive memory loss as the primary symptom
Correct Answer: A) Persistent depressed mood or loss of interest
accompanied by impaired functioning
Rationale: Major depression involves persistent mood disturbance or
anhedonia with associated cognitive, physical, and functional changes.
Q2. A patient with severe depression states, “My family would be
better off if I were dead.” What is the priority response?
A) “Try to think about your family differently.”
B) “Are you thinking about killing yourself, and have you made a plan?”
C) “You should not say things like that.”
D) “Let's discuss this after you feel calmer.”
Correct Answer: B) “Are you thinking about killing yourself, and have you
made a plan?”
Rationale: Direct assessment of suicidal thoughts, intent, plan, and means
is essential when hopeless or death-related statements are expressed.
Q3. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate for a severely
depressed patient who has very little energy?
A) Require attendance at all group activities
B) Provide several complex choices at once
C) Assist with basic self-care while encouraging manageable participation
D) Leave the patient completely alone
Correct Answer: C) Assist with basic self-care while encouraging manageable
participation
Rationale: Severe depression can impair motivation and energy, so
structured assistance with gradual independence is appropriate.
,Q4. A patient with depression has not eaten for most of the day.
Which intervention is most appropriate?
A) Insist that the patient eat a full meal in the dining room
B) Wait until the patient requests food
C) Restrict between-meal snacks
D) Offer small, nutrient-dense foods that require little effort to eat
Correct Answer: D) Offer small, nutrient-dense foods that require little effort
to eat
Rationale: Depression can reduce appetite and energy, making small, easy-
to-eat nutritious foods more manageable.
Q5. A patient started an antidepressant 1 week ago. Which teaching
is most appropriate?
A) Improvement may take several weeks even though some adverse effects
can occur sooner
B) The medication should work fully after the first dose
C) The medication should be stopped whenever symptoms improve
D) Doubling the dose will accelerate recovery
Correct Answer: A) Improvement may take several weeks even though some
adverse effects can occur sooner
Rationale: Antidepressant therapeutic effects generally develop gradually,
while adverse effects may appear earlier.
Q6. Why is suicide monitoring especially important during the early
phase of antidepressant treatment?
A) Antidepressants always cause suicidal behavior
B) Energy may improve before hopelessness and depressive thinking fully
resolve
C) Depression becomes psychotic in every patient
D) All antidepressants cause impulsive mania immediately
Correct Answer: B) Energy may improve before hopelessness and depressive
thinking fully resolve
Rationale: Increased energy before full mood improvement can give a
suicidal patient greater ability to act on existing thoughts.
Q7. Which finding in a patient taking an SSRI requires urgent
evaluation?
, A) Mild dry mouth
B) Temporary nausea
C) Fever, agitation, tremor, hyperreflexia, and diarrhea
D) Mild headache during the first few days
Correct Answer: C) Fever, agitation, tremor, hyperreflexia, and diarrhea
Rationale: This cluster is consistent with excessive serotonergic activity and
can become life-threatening.
Q8. A patient taking an MAOI should avoid which food?
A) Fresh apples
B) Plain rice
C) Steamed vegetables
D) Aged cheese
Correct Answer: D) Aged cheese
Rationale: Tyramine-rich foods can precipitate dangerous hypertension
when combined with monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
Q9. Which finding may indicate a hypertensive crisis in a patient
taking an MAOI?
A) Severe headache with markedly elevated blood pressure
B) Mild fatigue after exercise
C) Increased appetite
D) Slightly dry mouth
Correct Answer: A) Severe headache with markedly elevated blood pressure
Rationale: Excessive catecholamine activity from tyramine interaction can
cause acute severe hypertension and neurologic symptoms.
Q10. Which treatment may be considered for severe depression with
psychotic features, catatonia, or urgent need for rapid response?
A) Exposure therapy
B) Electroconvulsive therapy
C) Aversion therapy
D) Sleep restriction only
Correct Answer: B) Electroconvulsive therapy
Rationale: Electroconvulsive therapy can produce a rapid therapeutic
response in selected severe or treatment-resistant depressive presentations.
