NSG 526 Clin Modal. EXAM 1 With complete solu on
Latest 2025/2026
a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cogni on,
emo on, regula on, or behavior that reflects a dysfunc on in the psychological, biological, or
developmental process underlying mental funcioning
they are associated with significant distress, disability in social occupa onal, or other important
ac vi es
mental disorder/psychiatric illness
criteria that are offered as guidelines for making diagnoses
Diagnos c Criteria
when the symptom presenta on does not meet full criteria for any disorder and the symptom
cause clinically significant distress/impairment what categories should be used in the diagnosis
"other specified"
"unspecified"
when the symptom presenta on does not meet full criteria and "other specified" and
"unspecified" categories are used in the diagnosis, what should the main diagnosis be
corresponding to?
main diagnosis should correspond to the most predominant symptoms.
ex: Bipolar disorder, unspecified
the coding system that is used in the U.S. for diagnosing and documen ng psychiatric disorders
ICD-10-CM
(interna onal classifica on of disease-10th revision-clinical modifica on)
true or false: the diagnosis of a mental disorder is not equivalent to a need for treatment
TRUE - clinicians should treat based on symptom severity, clinical presenta on, etc.
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional
feelings of sadness because of the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appe te, sleep
pa6erns, and daily rou ne have not changed. How should the nurse interpret the client's
behaviors?
,1. The client's behaviors demonstrate
mental illness in the form of
depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive,
which indicates the presence of mental
illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent
with cultural norms.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no
func onal impairment, indica ng no
mental illness.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no func onal impairment, indica ng no mental illness.
2. At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk
for developing a mental illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are not reflec ve of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladap ve responses to stress
are coupled with interference in daily
func oning.
3. When a client communicates
significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms
as ego protec on.
2. When maladap ve responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily func oning.
6. During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological
and psychosocial ques ons. The client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not
my head problems." Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "It is just a rou ne part of our assessment.
All clients are asked these same
ques ons."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types
of ques ons?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive
stress, have been found to affect medical
condi ons."
4. "We can skip these ques ons, if you like.
,It isn't impera ve that we complete this
sec on."
3. "psychological factors, like excessive stress have been found to affect medical condi ons"
8. A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl
in his class. This behavior should be iden fied by a nurse as indica ve of which
defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projec on
3. Reac on forma on
4. Sublima on
3. Reac on forma on
Reac on forma on is the
a6empt to prevent undesirable thoughts
from being expressed by expressing
opposite thoughts or behaviors.
11. When under stress, a client rou nely uses alcohol to excess.
Finding her drunk, her husband yells at the client about her chronic alcohol abuse.
Which ac on alerts the nurse to the client's use of the defense mechanism of denial?
1. The client hides liquor bo6les in a closet.
2. The client yells at her son for slouching in
his chair.
3. The client burns dinner on purpose.
4. The client says to the spouse, "I don't
drink too much!"
4. the client says to the spouse, "I don't drink too much!"
10. Which nursing statement regarding the concept of psychosis is most
accurate?
1. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
aware that their behaviors are maladap ve.
2. Individuals experiencing psychoses
experience li6le distress.
3. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
aware of experiencing psychological
problems.
, 4. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
based in reality.
2. individuals experiencing psychoses experience li6le distress
The nurse should understand that the client with psychosis experiences li6le distress owing to
his or her lack of awareness of reality. They are unaware of their psychological problems
15. How would a nurse best complete the new DSM-5 defini on of a mental disorder?
"A health condi on characterized by significant dysfunc on in an individual's
cogni ons, or
behaviors that reflect a disturbance in ..." which of the following?
1. Psychosocial, biological, or
developmental process underlying
mental func oning
2. Psychological, cogni ve, or
developmental process underlying
mental func oning
3. Psychological, biological, or
developmental process underlying mental
func oning
4. Psychological, biological, or
psychosocial process underlying
mental func oning
3. psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental func oning.
16. A nurse is assessing a client who appears to be experiencing some anxiety during
ques oning. Which symptoms might the client demonstrate that would indicate
anxiety? (Select all that apply.)
1. Fidge ng
2. Laughing inappropriately
3. Palpita ons
4. Nail bi ng
5. Limited a6en on span
1. fidge ng
2. laughing inappropriately
4. nail bi ng
Latest 2025/2026
a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cogni on,
emo on, regula on, or behavior that reflects a dysfunc on in the psychological, biological, or
developmental process underlying mental funcioning
they are associated with significant distress, disability in social occupa onal, or other important
ac vi es
mental disorder/psychiatric illness
criteria that are offered as guidelines for making diagnoses
Diagnos c Criteria
when the symptom presenta on does not meet full criteria for any disorder and the symptom
cause clinically significant distress/impairment what categories should be used in the diagnosis
"other specified"
"unspecified"
when the symptom presenta on does not meet full criteria and "other specified" and
"unspecified" categories are used in the diagnosis, what should the main diagnosis be
corresponding to?
main diagnosis should correspond to the most predominant symptoms.
ex: Bipolar disorder, unspecified
the coding system that is used in the U.S. for diagnosing and documen ng psychiatric disorders
ICD-10-CM
(interna onal classifica on of disease-10th revision-clinical modifica on)
true or false: the diagnosis of a mental disorder is not equivalent to a need for treatment
TRUE - clinicians should treat based on symptom severity, clinical presenta on, etc.
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional
feelings of sadness because of the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appe te, sleep
pa6erns, and daily rou ne have not changed. How should the nurse interpret the client's
behaviors?
,1. The client's behaviors demonstrate
mental illness in the form of
depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive,
which indicates the presence of mental
illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent
with cultural norms.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no
func onal impairment, indica ng no
mental illness.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no func onal impairment, indica ng no mental illness.
2. At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk
for developing a mental illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are not reflec ve of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladap ve responses to stress
are coupled with interference in daily
func oning.
3. When a client communicates
significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms
as ego protec on.
2. When maladap ve responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily func oning.
6. During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological
and psychosocial ques ons. The client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not
my head problems." Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "It is just a rou ne part of our assessment.
All clients are asked these same
ques ons."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types
of ques ons?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive
stress, have been found to affect medical
condi ons."
4. "We can skip these ques ons, if you like.
,It isn't impera ve that we complete this
sec on."
3. "psychological factors, like excessive stress have been found to affect medical condi ons"
8. A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl
in his class. This behavior should be iden fied by a nurse as indica ve of which
defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projec on
3. Reac on forma on
4. Sublima on
3. Reac on forma on
Reac on forma on is the
a6empt to prevent undesirable thoughts
from being expressed by expressing
opposite thoughts or behaviors.
11. When under stress, a client rou nely uses alcohol to excess.
Finding her drunk, her husband yells at the client about her chronic alcohol abuse.
Which ac on alerts the nurse to the client's use of the defense mechanism of denial?
1. The client hides liquor bo6les in a closet.
2. The client yells at her son for slouching in
his chair.
3. The client burns dinner on purpose.
4. The client says to the spouse, "I don't
drink too much!"
4. the client says to the spouse, "I don't drink too much!"
10. Which nursing statement regarding the concept of psychosis is most
accurate?
1. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
aware that their behaviors are maladap ve.
2. Individuals experiencing psychoses
experience li6le distress.
3. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
aware of experiencing psychological
problems.
, 4. Individuals experiencing psychoses are
based in reality.
2. individuals experiencing psychoses experience li6le distress
The nurse should understand that the client with psychosis experiences li6le distress owing to
his or her lack of awareness of reality. They are unaware of their psychological problems
15. How would a nurse best complete the new DSM-5 defini on of a mental disorder?
"A health condi on characterized by significant dysfunc on in an individual's
cogni ons, or
behaviors that reflect a disturbance in ..." which of the following?
1. Psychosocial, biological, or
developmental process underlying
mental func oning
2. Psychological, cogni ve, or
developmental process underlying
mental func oning
3. Psychological, biological, or
developmental process underlying mental
func oning
4. Psychological, biological, or
psychosocial process underlying
mental func oning
3. psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental func oning.
16. A nurse is assessing a client who appears to be experiencing some anxiety during
ques oning. Which symptoms might the client demonstrate that would indicate
anxiety? (Select all that apply.)
1. Fidge ng
2. Laughing inappropriately
3. Palpita ons
4. Nail bi ng
5. Limited a6en on span
1. fidge ng
2. laughing inappropriately
4. nail bi ng
