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PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE
EXAM WITH COMPLETE 480 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS WITH RATIONALES
LATEST UPDATE
QUESTION: Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in
listening?
a. Restating a feeling or thought the patient has expressed.
b. Asking a direct question, such as "Did you feel angry?"
c. Making a judgment about the patient's problem.
d. Saying, "I understand what you're saying." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Restating allows the patient to validate the nurse's understanding of what has been
communicated. Restating is an active listening technique. Judgments should be suspended in a
nurse-patient relationship. Close-ended questions such as "Did you feel angry?" ask for specific
information rather than showing understanding. When the nurse simply states that he or she
understands the patient's words, the patient has no way of measuring the understanding.
QUESTION: A patient discloses several concerns and associated feelings. If the nurse wants to
seek clarification, which comment would be appropriate?
a. "What are the common elements here?"
b. "Tell me again about your experiences."
c. "Am I correct in understanding that . . ."
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d. "Tell me everything from the beginning." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
Asking, "Am I correct in understanding that..." permits clarification to ensure that both the
nurse and patient share mutual understanding of the communication. Asking about common
elements encourages comparison rather than clarification. The remaining responses are implied
questions that suggest the nurse was not listening.
QUESTION: A patient tells the nurse, "I don't think I'll ever get out of here." Select the nurse's
most therapeutic response.
a. "Don't talk that way. Of course you will leave here!"
b. "Keep up the good work, and you certainly will."
c. "You don't think you're making progress?"
d. "Everyone feels that way sometimes." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
By asking if the patient does not believe that progress has been made, the nurse is reflecting by
putting into words what the patient is hinting. By making communication more explicit, issues
are easier to identify and resolve. The remaining options are non-therapeutic techniques. Telling
the patient not to "talk that way" is disapproving. Saying that everyone feels that way at times
minimizes feelings. Telling the patient that good work will always result in success is falsely
reassuring.
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.
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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. - 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?
a. Nonverbal communication
b. A message filter
c. A cultural barrier
d. Social skills - 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.
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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. - 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.
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." - 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.
PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE
EXAM WITH COMPLETE 480 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS WITH RATIONALES
LATEST UPDATE
QUESTION: Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in
listening?
a. Restating a feeling or thought the patient has expressed.
b. Asking a direct question, such as "Did you feel angry?"
c. Making a judgment about the patient's problem.
d. Saying, "I understand what you're saying." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: A
Restating allows the patient to validate the nurse's understanding of what has been
communicated. Restating is an active listening technique. Judgments should be suspended in a
nurse-patient relationship. Close-ended questions such as "Did you feel angry?" ask for specific
information rather than showing understanding. When the nurse simply states that he or she
understands the patient's words, the patient has no way of measuring the understanding.
QUESTION: A patient discloses several concerns and associated feelings. If the nurse wants to
seek clarification, which comment would be appropriate?
a. "What are the common elements here?"
b. "Tell me again about your experiences."
c. "Am I correct in understanding that . . ."
, Page 2 of 147
d. "Tell me everything from the beginning." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
Asking, "Am I correct in understanding that..." permits clarification to ensure that both the
nurse and patient share mutual understanding of the communication. Asking about common
elements encourages comparison rather than clarification. The remaining responses are implied
questions that suggest the nurse was not listening.
QUESTION: A patient tells the nurse, "I don't think I'll ever get out of here." Select the nurse's
most therapeutic response.
a. "Don't talk that way. Of course you will leave here!"
b. "Keep up the good work, and you certainly will."
c. "You don't think you're making progress?"
d. "Everyone feels that way sometimes." - ANSWER✔✔ANS: C
By asking if the patient does not believe that progress has been made, the nurse is reflecting by
putting into words what the patient is hinting. By making communication more explicit, issues
are easier to identify and resolve. The remaining options are non-therapeutic techniques. Telling
the patient not to "talk that way" is disapproving. Saying that everyone feels that way at times
minimizes feelings. Telling the patient that good work will always result in success is falsely
reassuring.
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.
, Page 3 of 147
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. - 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?
a. Nonverbal communication
b. A message filter
c. A cultural barrier
d. Social skills - 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.
, Page 4 of 147
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. - 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.
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." - 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.
