ATI - RN Mental Health Nursing Exam
Questions and Answers 100% Solved
What do you assess for during a Mental Status Exam (MSE)? - ✔✔1. level
of consciousness
2. physical appearance
3. behavior
4. cognitive and intellectual abilities
alert - ✔✔able to fully respond by opening eyes, attend to normal tone of
voice and speech, and answer questions spontaneously and appropriately
lethargy - ✔✔able to open eyes and respond, but is drowsy and falls asleep
readily
obtundation - ✔✔needs to be lightly shaken to elicit a response; may be
confused and slow to respond
stupor - ✔✔requires painful stimuli (e.g. pinch a tendon, rub sternum) to
elicit a brief response; may not be able to respond verbally
coma - ✔✔no response from repeated painful stimuli
, decorticate rigidity - ✔✔flexion and internal rotation of upper extremity
joints and legs (arms toward midline)
decerebrate rigidity - ✔✔neck and elbow extension, wrist and finger flexion
(arms away from midline)
mood - ✔✔subjective data about emotions that are felt
affect - ✔✔objective data about expression of mood
How do you assess recent memory? - ✔✔Have patient recall a series of
number or list of objects.
How do you assess remote memory? - ✔✔Have patient state a verifiable
fact (e.g. birthdate).
How do you assess level of knowledge? - ✔✔Ask patient what they know
about their illness or hospitalization.
How do you assess ability to calculate? - ✔✔Ask patient to count backward
from 100 in serials of 7.
How do you assess ability to think abstractly? - ✔✔See if patient can
interpret an idiom/saying.
How do you assess judgment? - ✔✔Ask patient a hypothetical question to
see how they would answer (i.e. is it logical).
Questions and Answers 100% Solved
What do you assess for during a Mental Status Exam (MSE)? - ✔✔1. level
of consciousness
2. physical appearance
3. behavior
4. cognitive and intellectual abilities
alert - ✔✔able to fully respond by opening eyes, attend to normal tone of
voice and speech, and answer questions spontaneously and appropriately
lethargy - ✔✔able to open eyes and respond, but is drowsy and falls asleep
readily
obtundation - ✔✔needs to be lightly shaken to elicit a response; may be
confused and slow to respond
stupor - ✔✔requires painful stimuli (e.g. pinch a tendon, rub sternum) to
elicit a brief response; may not be able to respond verbally
coma - ✔✔no response from repeated painful stimuli
, decorticate rigidity - ✔✔flexion and internal rotation of upper extremity
joints and legs (arms toward midline)
decerebrate rigidity - ✔✔neck and elbow extension, wrist and finger flexion
(arms away from midline)
mood - ✔✔subjective data about emotions that are felt
affect - ✔✔objective data about expression of mood
How do you assess recent memory? - ✔✔Have patient recall a series of
number or list of objects.
How do you assess remote memory? - ✔✔Have patient state a verifiable
fact (e.g. birthdate).
How do you assess level of knowledge? - ✔✔Ask patient what they know
about their illness or hospitalization.
How do you assess ability to calculate? - ✔✔Ask patient to count backward
from 100 in serials of 7.
How do you assess ability to think abstractly? - ✔✔See if patient can
interpret an idiom/saying.
How do you assess judgment? - ✔✔Ask patient a hypothetical question to
see how they would answer (i.e. is it logical).
