NSRG 126 Exam 1 V1 | NSRG 126 Mental Health
Nursing | Actual Q&A with Rationale (NSRG126
Exam 1) | Ivy Tech
1. A nurse is teaching a student about the concept of the Mental Health-Mental Illness
Continuum. Which statement by the student indicates an understanding of this concept?
A. Mental health is a dynamic state that changes based on life circumstances and coping
skills.
B. Individuals are either completely mentally healthy or completely mentally ill.
C. Mental health is the absence of any stress or distress in daily life.
D. Mental illness is defined only by the presence of a medical diagnosis.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The mental health-mental illness continuum illustrates that mental health is
not a static state but a range that fluctuates throughout a person’s life. This concept
recognizes that stress, environmental factors, and coping mechanisms influence one’s
position on the scale. Effective nursing care involves assessing where a patient currently
sits to provide appropriate interventions.
2. Which historical figure is recognized as the first American psychiatric nurse and promoted
the idea that the mentally ill deserve specialty care?
A. Linda Richards
B. Dorothea Dix
,C. Hildegard Peplau
D. Florence Nightingale
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Linda Richards is widely credited as the first trained nurse in the United
States and specialized in psychiatric nursing. She was instrumental in establishing
psychiatric hospitals that focused on care rather than just custodial supervision. Her work
laid the foundation for specialized nursing education in the field of mental health.
3. A client becomes agitated and threatens to harm their roommate. According to the
Tarasoff decision, which action must the healthcare team take?
A. Provide extra medication to sedate the client immediately.
B. Duty to warn the intended victim and notify law enforcement.
C. Place the client in four-point restraints for 24 hours.
D. Keep the information confidential as per HIPAA regulations.
E. Request an immediate discharge of the roommate.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Tarasoff case established the ‘duty to warn,’ which creates an exception
to patient confidentiality when a specific threat is made against a third party. Healthcare
providers are legally obligated to protect the potential victim by notifying them and the
police. This principle balances the patient’s right to privacy with the public’s right to safety.
, 4. Which level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the priority for a nurse when admitting a
client with severe depression and suicidal ideation?
A. Self-actualization
B. Love and belonging
C. Physiological and safety needs
D. Self-esteem
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: According to Maslow’s Hierarchy, physiological and safety needs must be
met before higher-level needs like self-esteem can be addressed. In a psychiatric setting,
ensuring the physical safety of a suicidal client is the absolute priority to prevent self-harm.
Only after the client is stable and safe can the nurse focus on psychological healing and self-
actualization.
5. A nurse is using Peplau’s theory of interpersonal relations. During which phase does the
nurse help the patient identify problems and begin to set goals?
A. Resolution phase
B. Working phase
C. Termination phase
D. Orientation phase
Correct Answer: D
Nursing | Actual Q&A with Rationale (NSRG126
Exam 1) | Ivy Tech
1. A nurse is teaching a student about the concept of the Mental Health-Mental Illness
Continuum. Which statement by the student indicates an understanding of this concept?
A. Mental health is a dynamic state that changes based on life circumstances and coping
skills.
B. Individuals are either completely mentally healthy or completely mentally ill.
C. Mental health is the absence of any stress or distress in daily life.
D. Mental illness is defined only by the presence of a medical diagnosis.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The mental health-mental illness continuum illustrates that mental health is
not a static state but a range that fluctuates throughout a person’s life. This concept
recognizes that stress, environmental factors, and coping mechanisms influence one’s
position on the scale. Effective nursing care involves assessing where a patient currently
sits to provide appropriate interventions.
2. Which historical figure is recognized as the first American psychiatric nurse and promoted
the idea that the mentally ill deserve specialty care?
A. Linda Richards
B. Dorothea Dix
,C. Hildegard Peplau
D. Florence Nightingale
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Linda Richards is widely credited as the first trained nurse in the United
States and specialized in psychiatric nursing. She was instrumental in establishing
psychiatric hospitals that focused on care rather than just custodial supervision. Her work
laid the foundation for specialized nursing education in the field of mental health.
3. A client becomes agitated and threatens to harm their roommate. According to the
Tarasoff decision, which action must the healthcare team take?
A. Provide extra medication to sedate the client immediately.
B. Duty to warn the intended victim and notify law enforcement.
C. Place the client in four-point restraints for 24 hours.
D. Keep the information confidential as per HIPAA regulations.
E. Request an immediate discharge of the roommate.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Tarasoff case established the ‘duty to warn,’ which creates an exception
to patient confidentiality when a specific threat is made against a third party. Healthcare
providers are legally obligated to protect the potential victim by notifying them and the
police. This principle balances the patient’s right to privacy with the public’s right to safety.
, 4. Which level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the priority for a nurse when admitting a
client with severe depression and suicidal ideation?
A. Self-actualization
B. Love and belonging
C. Physiological and safety needs
D. Self-esteem
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: According to Maslow’s Hierarchy, physiological and safety needs must be
met before higher-level needs like self-esteem can be addressed. In a psychiatric setting,
ensuring the physical safety of a suicidal client is the absolute priority to prevent self-harm.
Only after the client is stable and safe can the nurse focus on psychological healing and self-
actualization.
5. A nurse is using Peplau’s theory of interpersonal relations. During which phase does the
nurse help the patient identify problems and begin to set goals?
A. Resolution phase
B. Working phase
C. Termination phase
D. Orientation phase
Correct Answer: D
