Behavioral health - exam #1 (module 1: chs. 1, 2, 3) Questions and Answers Fully Solved Graded A+
1) The scope of practiced for an advanced nurse practitioner would include which intervention?
a. Conducting a mental health assessment.
b. Prescribing psychotropic medication.
c. Establishing a therapeutic relationship.
d. Individualizing a nursing care plan. - AnswersB
In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master's-prepared nurse practitioners and clinical
nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the
basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
2) A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical nursing
skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
client ratios must be better because of the nature of the clients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking
to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as
medical-surgical nurses do. That appeals to me." - AnswersB
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing, though
there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help clients with medical as well as
mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-client ratios
and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing
involves clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical
pain and suffering.
,3) When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with mental
illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to the legislation.
Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
d. Evidence-based practice - AnswersC
An advocate defends or asserts another's cause, particularly when the other person lacks the ability to
do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping clients understand their rights or make
decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity, public speaking, and publication in
the interest of improving the human condition. Since funding is necessary to deliver quality
programming for persons with mental illness, the letter- writing campaign advocates for that cause on
behalf of clients who are unable to articulate their own needs.
4) A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. Which family member's
comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change." - AnswersC
The correct response demonstrates the best evidence of a healthy recognition of the importance of
relationships. Mental health includes rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, and self-esteem. Recalling joy from earlier in life may be healthy, but the correct
response shows a higher level of mental health. The other incorrect responses show blaming and
avoidance.
5) Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be experiencing a mental illness?
,a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - AnswersB
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. The distracters describe
behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of human experience.
6) Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was achieved for
an adult client?
a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaving without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meeting personal needs without considering the rights of others.
d. seeking help from others to avoid assuming responsibility for major areas of own
life. - AnswersA
Mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals reach their own potential, cope with the
normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to the community. Mental health provides
people with the capacity for rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional growth,
resilience, and self-esteem. The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The
distracters describe maladaptive behaviors.
7) A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's admission form. Which
resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - AnswersC
, The DSM-V gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. It is the official guideline for
diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The distracters may not contain diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric
illness.
8) A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource would
have the most complete information?
a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. DSM-V
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. ICD-10 - AnswersB
The DSM-V details the diagnostic criteria for psychiatric clinical conditions. It is the official guideline for
diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The other references are good resources but do not define the
diagnostic criteria.
9) Which individual behavior demonstrates resilience?
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent
job. - AnswersD
Resilience is closely associated with the process of adapting and helps people facing tragedies, loss,
trauma, and severe stress. It is the ability and capacity for people to secure the resources they need to
support their well-being. Repression and protracted grief are unhealthy. Living in a shelter for 2 years
shows a failure to move forward after a tragedy. See related audience response question.
10) The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) is to clinical
judgment as Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
1) The scope of practiced for an advanced nurse practitioner would include which intervention?
a. Conducting a mental health assessment.
b. Prescribing psychotropic medication.
c. Establishing a therapeutic relationship.
d. Individualizing a nursing care plan. - AnswersB
In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master's-prepared nurse practitioners and clinical
nurse specialists who have taken special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the
basic level is permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
2) A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical nursing
skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
client ratios must be better because of the nature of the clients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking
to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as
medical-surgical nurses do. That appeals to me." - AnswersB
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing, though
there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help clients with medical as well as
mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-client ratios
and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing
involves clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical
pain and suffering.
,3) When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with mental
illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to the legislation.
Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
d. Evidence-based practice - AnswersC
An advocate defends or asserts another's cause, particularly when the other person lacks the ability to
do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping clients understand their rights or make
decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity, public speaking, and publication in
the interest of improving the human condition. Since funding is necessary to deliver quality
programming for persons with mental illness, the letter- writing campaign advocates for that cause on
behalf of clients who are unable to articulate their own needs.
4) A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. Which family member's
comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change." - AnswersC
The correct response demonstrates the best evidence of a healthy recognition of the importance of
relationships. Mental health includes rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, and self-esteem. Recalling joy from earlier in life may be healthy, but the correct
response shows a higher level of mental health. The other incorrect responses show blaming and
avoidance.
5) Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be experiencing a mental illness?
,a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - AnswersB
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. The distracters describe
behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of human experience.
6) Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was achieved for
an adult client?
a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaving without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meeting personal needs without considering the rights of others.
d. seeking help from others to avoid assuming responsibility for major areas of own
life. - AnswersA
Mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals reach their own potential, cope with the
normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to the community. Mental health provides
people with the capacity for rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional growth,
resilience, and self-esteem. The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The
distracters describe maladaptive behaviors.
7) A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's admission form. Which
resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - AnswersC
, The DSM-V gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. It is the official guideline for
diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The distracters may not contain diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric
illness.
8) A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource would
have the most complete information?
a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. DSM-V
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. ICD-10 - AnswersB
The DSM-V details the diagnostic criteria for psychiatric clinical conditions. It is the official guideline for
diagnosing psychiatric disorders. The other references are good resources but do not define the
diagnostic criteria.
9) Which individual behavior demonstrates resilience?
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent
job. - AnswersD
Resilience is closely associated with the process of adapting and helps people facing tragedies, loss,
trauma, and severe stress. It is the ability and capacity for people to secure the resources they need to
support their well-being. Repression and protracted grief are unhealthy. Living in a shelter for 2 years
shows a failure to move forward after a tragedy. See related audience response question.
10) The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) is to clinical
judgment as Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
