NSG 527 Midterm
Exam Review –
Questions and Verified
Answers (Latest
2025/2026, Rated A)
Instructions
1. Review the exact title at the top to ensure you are studying for the correct exam.
2. These questions align with the 2025/2026 NSG 527 / NSG527 Midterm Exam
guidelines.
3. Each question has four answer choices (A–D); select the best option.
4. The correct answer is highlighted in blue for easy identification during review.
5. Read the expert-level rationale in red after each question to understand the
reasoning
Sectibehind the correct answer.
6. Ensure you study all 65 unique questions to avoid missing key concepts.
7. This document is editable; you can copy and paste it into a study tool or print it
for note-taking.
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1. What is the primary goal of therapeutic communication in psychiatric nursing?
A. To gather medical history
B. To establish a trusting relationship
C. To prescribe medications
D. To enforce treatment compliance
Correct Answer: B. To establish a trusting relationship
Rationale: Therapeutic communication focuses on building trust and
rapport to facilitate open dialogue and emotional support, which are
essential for effective mental health interventions. Gathering medical
history is secondary, prescribing medications is a provider’s role, and
enforcing compliance undermines patient autonomy.
2. Which therapeutic communication technique encourages a patient to
elaborate on their feelings?
A. Clarifying
B. Reflecting
C. Direct questioning
D. Giving advice
Correct Answer: B. Reflecting
Rationale: Reflecting involves restating or paraphrasing the patient’s
words to encourage deeper exploration of emotions, fostering insight.
Clarifying ensures understanding, direct questioning may feel
confrontational, and giving advice is non-therapeutic as it dismisses
patient autonomy.
3. A patient with schizophrenia reports hearing voices. What is the nurse’s
best response?
A. “Those voices aren’t real.”
B. “What are the voices saying?”
C. “You need to ignore them.”
D. “That must be your imagination.”
Correct Answer: B. “What are the voices saying?”
Rationale: Asking about the content of hallucinations validates the
patient’s experience without reinforcing the delusion, allowing the nurse
to assess symptom severity and potential risk. Denying or dismissing
hallucinations can erode trust and hinder therapeutic progress.
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4. Which symptom is characteristic of major depressive disorder (MDD)?
A. Auditory hallucinations
B. Anhedonia
C. Flight of ideas
D. Grandiose delusions
Correct Answer: B. Anhedonia
Rationale: Anhedonia, the loss of interest or pleasure in activities, is a
core symptom of MDD per DSM-5 criteria. Auditory hallucinations and
grandiose delusions are associated with psychotic disorders like
schizophrenia, while flight of ideas is typical of mania in bipolar
disorder.
5. A patient is prescribed fluoxetine. What is the primary indication for
this medication?
A. Bipolar disorder
B. Major depressive disorder
C. Schizophrenia
D. Generalized anxiety disorder
Correct Answer: B. Major depressive disorder
Rationale: Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is
primarily indicated for MDD. It may also be used for anxiety disorders,
but it is not first-line for bipolar disorder (due to risk of inducing
mania) or schizophrenia.
6. What is a common side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs)?
A. Tardive dyskinesia
B. Sexual dysfunction
C. Orthostatic hypotension
D. Agranulocytosis
Correct Answer: B. Sexual dysfunction
Rationale: SSRIs, such as fluoxetine, commonly cause sexual
dysfunction (e.g., decreased libido, delayed ejaculation) due to increased
serotonin levels. Tardive dyskinesia and agranulocytosis are associated
with antipsychotics, and orthostatic hypotension is more common with
tricyclic antidepressants.
7. A patient with bipolar disorder is prescribed lithium. What should the
nurse monitor?