ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
1. A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed
nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by
7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of
objects."
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: D. "To
assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather
than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
2. A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: D.
Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological
intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
3. A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an
initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of the following
is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: *B.
Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.* A. Appropriate, but not
highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach.
Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status provides important
information about the client's psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
4. A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: *A. The
client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
5. A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the
following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: A, B, D,
E. The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by
nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies expected findings for
mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
6. Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency
admission to a mental health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless
man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while
talking to himself.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises: C. A client
with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for
emergency commitment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
7. A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife
under my mattress in order to protect myself from my roommate, who is
always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of the following actions
should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily,
using therapeutic communication to convince him to admit to holding the
knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his
roommate closely.
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it
concerns the health and safety of the client and others.
D. Report the incident, but do not inform the client of the intention to do so.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises: C. Tell the
client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns the health
and safety of the client and others.
The information cannot be kept confidential and the client must be informed that this
will be reported to the health care staff.
• This is a serious safety issue that must be reported to the staff. Using the principle
of veracity, the student tells this client truthfully what must be done regarding the
issue.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
1. A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed
nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by
7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of
objects."
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: D. "To
assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess immediate, rather
than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
2. A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: D.
Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and maintenance.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a psychobiological
intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
3. A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an
initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of the following
is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: *B.
Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.* A. Appropriate, but not
highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process approach.
Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status provides important
information about the client's psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
4. A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: *A. The
client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
5. A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the
following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises: A, B, D,
E. The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria, used by
nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies expected findings for
mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
6. Which of the following is an example of a client who requires emergency
admission to a mental health facility?
A. A client with schizophrenia who has frequent hallucinations.
B. A client with symptoms of depression who attempted suicide a year ago.
C. A client with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless
man with a metal rod.
D. A client with bipolar disorder who paces quickly down the sidewalk while
talking to himself.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises: C. A client
with borderline personality disorder who assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod.
Hallucinations, depression, and/or pacing does not constitute clear reason for
emergency commitment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
7. A client tells a student nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife
under my mattress in order to protect myself from my roommate, who is
always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of the following actions
should the nurse take?
A. Keep the client's communication confidential, but talk to the client daily,
using therapeutic communication to convince him to admit to holding the
knife.
B. Keep the client's communication confidential, but watch the client and his
roommate closely.
C. Tell the client that this must be reported to health care staff because it
concerns the health and safety of the client and others.
D. Report the incident, but do not inform the client of the intention to do so.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises: C. Tell the
client that this must be reported to health care staff because it concerns the health
and safety of the client and others.
The information cannot be kept confidential and the client must be informed that this
will be reported to the health care staff.
• This is a serious safety issue that must be reported to the staff. Using the principle
of veracity, the student tells this client truthfully what must be done regarding the
issue.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 2 Application Exercises
