,NUR 203 Exam 1 Psychiatric Nursing Questions And Answers
2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. Which nursing behavior best demonstrates therapeutic use of
self in psychiatric care?
A) Sharing personal experiences to establish similarity with the client
B) Making decisions for the client to reduce emotional stress
C) Using self-awareness and purposeful communication to promote the
client’s therapeutic goals
D) Avoiding emotional involvement by limiting conversation to assessment
questions
Correct Answer: C) Using self-awareness and purposeful communication to
promote the client’s therapeutic goals
Rationale: Therapeutic use of self requires conscious awareness of one’s
own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while using communication
intentionally to meet the client’s needs rather than the nurse’s personal
needs.
Q2. A psychiatric nurse identifies a clinical problem and formulates
a searchable question. What is the next appropriate step in the
evidence-based practice process?
A) Acquire the best available evidence related to the question
B) Immediately implement a new intervention
C) Evaluate outcomes from the existing practice
D) Develop a nursing diagnosis before reviewing evidence
Correct Answer: A) Acquire the best available evidence related to the
question
Rationale: After identifying a clinical question, the nurse searches for
relevant evidence that can be critically appraised before deciding whether a
practice change is appropriate.
Q3. The recovery model of mental health care places greatest
emphasis on which outcome?
A) Complete elimination of all psychiatric symptoms
B) Dependence on professionals for long-term decision-making
C) Following one standardized treatment plan for each diagnosis
D) Supporting the person in developing meaningful goals, choices, and
effective coping abilities
, Correct Answer: D) Supporting the person in developing meaningful goals,
choices, and effective coping abilities
Rationale: Recovery-oriented care emphasizes hope, autonomy, strengths,
personal choice, and the ability to live a meaningful life even when some
symptoms remain.
Q4. What is the primary contribution of Hildegard Peplau to
psychiatric-mental health nursing?
A) Establishing behavioral conditioning as the basis of psychotherapy
B) Emphasizing the therapeutic interpersonal relationship as a central
component of nursing care
C) Developing the first classification system for psychiatric medications
D) Establishing involuntary commitment criteria
Correct Answer: B) Emphasizing the therapeutic interpersonal relationship as
a central component of nursing care
Rationale: Peplau established interpersonal relations as a major foundation
of psychiatric nursing and emphasized that purposeful nurse-client
interactions can themselves be therapeutic.
CHAPTER 2 — MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL ILLNESS
Q5. Which description best reflects mental health rather than simply
the absence of mental illness?
A) Never experiencing emotional distress
B) Being able to adapt to stress, function productively, and maintain
meaningful relationships
C) Remaining emotionally stable regardless of environmental circumstances
D) Having no history of psychiatric treatment
Correct Answer: B) Being able to adapt to stress, function productively, and
maintain meaningful relationships
Rationale: Mental health involves effective functioning, adaptation,
relationships, coping, and participation in life. It does not require the
complete absence of stress or emotional difficulty.
Q6. The diathesis-stress model proposes that development of a
mental disorder is influenced primarily by what interaction?
A) Intelligence and educational achievement
B) Medication adherence and personality type
2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. Which nursing behavior best demonstrates therapeutic use of
self in psychiatric care?
A) Sharing personal experiences to establish similarity with the client
B) Making decisions for the client to reduce emotional stress
C) Using self-awareness and purposeful communication to promote the
client’s therapeutic goals
D) Avoiding emotional involvement by limiting conversation to assessment
questions
Correct Answer: C) Using self-awareness and purposeful communication to
promote the client’s therapeutic goals
Rationale: Therapeutic use of self requires conscious awareness of one’s
own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while using communication
intentionally to meet the client’s needs rather than the nurse’s personal
needs.
Q2. A psychiatric nurse identifies a clinical problem and formulates
a searchable question. What is the next appropriate step in the
evidence-based practice process?
A) Acquire the best available evidence related to the question
B) Immediately implement a new intervention
C) Evaluate outcomes from the existing practice
D) Develop a nursing diagnosis before reviewing evidence
Correct Answer: A) Acquire the best available evidence related to the
question
Rationale: After identifying a clinical question, the nurse searches for
relevant evidence that can be critically appraised before deciding whether a
practice change is appropriate.
Q3. The recovery model of mental health care places greatest
emphasis on which outcome?
A) Complete elimination of all psychiatric symptoms
B) Dependence on professionals for long-term decision-making
C) Following one standardized treatment plan for each diagnosis
D) Supporting the person in developing meaningful goals, choices, and
effective coping abilities
, Correct Answer: D) Supporting the person in developing meaningful goals,
choices, and effective coping abilities
Rationale: Recovery-oriented care emphasizes hope, autonomy, strengths,
personal choice, and the ability to live a meaningful life even when some
symptoms remain.
Q4. What is the primary contribution of Hildegard Peplau to
psychiatric-mental health nursing?
A) Establishing behavioral conditioning as the basis of psychotherapy
B) Emphasizing the therapeutic interpersonal relationship as a central
component of nursing care
C) Developing the first classification system for psychiatric medications
D) Establishing involuntary commitment criteria
Correct Answer: B) Emphasizing the therapeutic interpersonal relationship as
a central component of nursing care
Rationale: Peplau established interpersonal relations as a major foundation
of psychiatric nursing and emphasized that purposeful nurse-client
interactions can themselves be therapeutic.
CHAPTER 2 — MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL ILLNESS
Q5. Which description best reflects mental health rather than simply
the absence of mental illness?
A) Never experiencing emotional distress
B) Being able to adapt to stress, function productively, and maintain
meaningful relationships
C) Remaining emotionally stable regardless of environmental circumstances
D) Having no history of psychiatric treatment
Correct Answer: B) Being able to adapt to stress, function productively, and
maintain meaningful relationships
Rationale: Mental health involves effective functioning, adaptation,
relationships, coping, and participation in life. It does not require the
complete absence of stress or emotional difficulty.
Q6. The diathesis-stress model proposes that development of a
mental disorder is influenced primarily by what interaction?
A) Intelligence and educational achievement
B) Medication adherence and personality type
