Page 1 of 147
PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM
1 TEST BANK LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR ALL
WITH 500 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
Question: Documentation in a patient's chart shows, "Throughout a 5-minute interaction,
patient fidgeted and tapped left foot, periodically covered face with hands, and looked under
chair while stating, 'I enjoy spending time with you.'" Which analysis is most accurate?
a. The patient is giving positive feedback about the nurse's communication techniques.
b. The nurse is viewing the patient's behavior through a cultural filter.
c. The patient's verbal and nonverbal messages are incongruent.
d. The patient is demonstrating psychotic behaviors. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
When a verbal message is not reinforced with nonverbal behavior, the message is confusing and
incongruent. Some clinicians call it a "mixed message." It is inaccurate to say that the patient is
giving positive feedback about the nurse's communication techniques. The concept of a cultural
filter is not relevant to the situation because a cultural filter determines what we will pay
attention to and what we will ignore. Data are insufficient to draw the conclusion that the
patient is demonstrating psychotic behaviors.
Question: While talking with a patient diagnosed with major depression, a nurse notices the
patient is unable to maintain eye contact. The patient's chin lowers to the chest, while the
patient looks at the floor. Which aspect of communication has the nurse assessed?
, Page 2 of 147
a. Nonverbal communication
b. A message filter
c. A cultural barrier
d. Social skills - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Eye contact and body movements are considered nonverbal communication. There are
insufficient data to determine the level of the patient's social skills or whether a cultural barrier
exists.
Question: During the first interview with a parent whose child died in a car accident, the nurse
feels empathic and reaches out to take the patient's hand. Select the correct analysis of the
nurse's behavior.
a. It shows empathy and compassion. It will encourage the patient to continue to express
feelings.
b. The gesture is premature. The patient's cultural and individual interpretation of touch is
unknown.
c. The patient will perceive the gesture as intrusive and overstepping boundaries.
d. The action is inappropriate. Psychiatric patients should not be touched. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔ANS: B
Touch has various cultural and individual interpretations. Nurses should refrain from using touch
until an assessment can be made regarding the way in which the patient will perceive touch.
The other options present prematurely drawn conclusions.
, Page 3 of 147
Question: During a one-on-one interaction with the nurse, a patient frequently looks nervously
at the door. Select the best comment by the nurse regarding this nonverbal communication.
a. "I notice you keep looking toward the door."
b. "This is our time together. No one is going to interrupt us."
c. "It looks as if you are eager to end our discussion for today."
d. "If you are uncomfortable in this room, we can move someplace else." - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Making observations and encouraging the patient to describe perceptions are useful
therapeutic communication techniques for this situation. The other responses are assumptions
made by the nurse.
Question: A black patient says to a white nurse, "There's no sense talking. You wouldn't
understand because you live in a white world." The nurse's best action would be to:
a. explain, "Yes, I do understand. Everyone goes through the same experiences."
b. say, "Please give an example of something you think I wouldn't understand."
c. reassure the patient that nurses interact with people from all cultures.
d. change the subject to one that is less emotionally disturbing. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: B
Having the patient speak in specifics rather than globally will help the nurse understand the
patient's perspective. This approach will help the nurse engage the patient. Reassurance and
changing the subject are not therapeutic techniques.
, Page 4 of 147
Question: A Filipino American patient had a nursing diagnosis of situational low self-esteem
related to poor social skills as evidenced by lack of eye contact. Interventions were used to raise
the patient's self-esteem, but after 3 weeks, the patient's eye contact did not improve. What is
the most accurate analysis of this scenario?
a. The patient's eye contact should have been directly addressed by role-playing to increase
comfort with eye contact.
b. The nurse should not have independently embarked on assessment, diagnosis, and planning
for this patient.
c. The patient's poor eye contact is indicative of anger and hostility that were unaddressed.
d. The nurse should have assessed the patient's culture before making this diagnosis and plan. -
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: D
The amount of eye contact a person engages in is often culturally determined. In some cultures,
eye contact is considered insolent, whereas in others eye contact is expected. Asian Americans,
including persons from the Philippines, often prefer not to engage in direct eye contact.
Question: When a female Mexican American patient and a female nurse sit together, the
patient often holds the nurse's hand. The patient also links arms with the nurse when they walk.
The nurse is uncomfortable with this behavior. Which analysis is most accurate?
a. The patient is accustomed to touch during conversation, as are members of many Hispanic
subcultures.
b. The patient understands that touch makes the nurse uncomfortable and controls the
relationship based on that factor.
c. The patient is afraid of being alone. When touching the nurse, the patient is reassured and
comforted.
PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM
1 TEST BANK LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR ALL
WITH 500 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
Question: Documentation in a patient's chart shows, "Throughout a 5-minute interaction,
patient fidgeted and tapped left foot, periodically covered face with hands, and looked under
chair while stating, 'I enjoy spending time with you.'" Which analysis is most accurate?
a. The patient is giving positive feedback about the nurse's communication techniques.
b. The nurse is viewing the patient's behavior through a cultural filter.
c. The patient's verbal and nonverbal messages are incongruent.
d. The patient is demonstrating psychotic behaviors. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
When a verbal message is not reinforced with nonverbal behavior, the message is confusing and
incongruent. Some clinicians call it a "mixed message." It is inaccurate to say that the patient is
giving positive feedback about the nurse's communication techniques. The concept of a cultural
filter is not relevant to the situation because a cultural filter determines what we will pay
attention to and what we will ignore. Data are insufficient to draw the conclusion that the
patient is demonstrating psychotic behaviors.
Question: While talking with a patient diagnosed with major depression, a nurse notices the
patient is unable to maintain eye contact. The patient's chin lowers to the chest, while the
patient looks at the floor. Which aspect of communication has the nurse assessed?
, Page 2 of 147
a. Nonverbal communication
b. A message filter
c. A cultural barrier
d. Social skills - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Eye contact and body movements are considered nonverbal communication. There are
insufficient data to determine the level of the patient's social skills or whether a cultural barrier
exists.
Question: During the first interview with a parent whose child died in a car accident, the nurse
feels empathic and reaches out to take the patient's hand. Select the correct analysis of the
nurse's behavior.
a. It shows empathy and compassion. It will encourage the patient to continue to express
feelings.
b. The gesture is premature. The patient's cultural and individual interpretation of touch is
unknown.
c. The patient will perceive the gesture as intrusive and overstepping boundaries.
d. The action is inappropriate. Psychiatric patients should not be touched. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔ANS: B
Touch has various cultural and individual interpretations. Nurses should refrain from using touch
until an assessment can be made regarding the way in which the patient will perceive touch.
The other options present prematurely drawn conclusions.
, Page 3 of 147
Question: During a one-on-one interaction with the nurse, a patient frequently looks nervously
at the door. Select the best comment by the nurse regarding this nonverbal communication.
a. "I notice you keep looking toward the door."
b. "This is our time together. No one is going to interrupt us."
c. "It looks as if you are eager to end our discussion for today."
d. "If you are uncomfortable in this room, we can move someplace else." - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Making observations and encouraging the patient to describe perceptions are useful
therapeutic communication techniques for this situation. The other responses are assumptions
made by the nurse.
Question: A black patient says to a white nurse, "There's no sense talking. You wouldn't
understand because you live in a white world." The nurse's best action would be to:
a. explain, "Yes, I do understand. Everyone goes through the same experiences."
b. say, "Please give an example of something you think I wouldn't understand."
c. reassure the patient that nurses interact with people from all cultures.
d. change the subject to one that is less emotionally disturbing. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: B
Having the patient speak in specifics rather than globally will help the nurse understand the
patient's perspective. This approach will help the nurse engage the patient. Reassurance and
changing the subject are not therapeutic techniques.
, Page 4 of 147
Question: A Filipino American patient had a nursing diagnosis of situational low self-esteem
related to poor social skills as evidenced by lack of eye contact. Interventions were used to raise
the patient's self-esteem, but after 3 weeks, the patient's eye contact did not improve. What is
the most accurate analysis of this scenario?
a. The patient's eye contact should have been directly addressed by role-playing to increase
comfort with eye contact.
b. The nurse should not have independently embarked on assessment, diagnosis, and planning
for this patient.
c. The patient's poor eye contact is indicative of anger and hostility that were unaddressed.
d. The nurse should have assessed the patient's culture before making this diagnosis and plan. -
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔ANS: D
The amount of eye contact a person engages in is often culturally determined. In some cultures,
eye contact is considered insolent, whereas in others eye contact is expected. Asian Americans,
including persons from the Philippines, often prefer not to engage in direct eye contact.
Question: When a female Mexican American patient and a female nurse sit together, the
patient often holds the nurse's hand. The patient also links arms with the nurse when they walk.
The nurse is uncomfortable with this behavior. Which analysis is most accurate?
a. The patient is accustomed to touch during conversation, as are members of many Hispanic
subcultures.
b. The patient understands that touch makes the nurse uncomfortable and controls the
relationship based on that factor.
c. The patient is afraid of being alone. When touching the nurse, the patient is reassured and
comforted.
