1|Page
NR 326 EXAM 1 MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
COMPLETE MASTERY GUIDE (2025–2026) —
FULLY UPDATED & VERIFIED QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS & DETAILED CLINICAL
RATIONALES
What are the stages of the nurse-client
relationship?
Pre-orientation, Orientation, Working,
Termination
What is the pre-orientation stage?
before meeting patient, mental prep for
what can happen/occur, reading patient's
chart
What is the orientation stage?
Introduction, boundaries, build trust, set
goals
What is the working stage?
,2|Page
maintain relationship, problem-solving &
coping skills
What is the termination stage?
End of relationship, summarize goals, plans
for future
What are the positive factors that affect
the therapeutic relationship?
empathy/sympathy, genuineness, time,
trust, respect, listening
What is the difference between sympathy
and empathy?
Sympathy: understanding with experience
Empathy: understanding without
experience
What are the negative factors that affect
the therapeutic relationship?
,3|Page
judgement, transference,
countertransference
What is the difference between
transference and countertransference?
Transference: patient unconsciously
displaces emotional reactions and patterns
of behavior onto others
Countertransference: nurse displaces
feelings related to people in one's past onto
the patient
What are some communication
techniques?
active listening, silence, asking open-ended
questions, summarizing, clarification,
paraphrasing, making observations, offering
self, empathy
, 4|Page
What are some defense mechanisms for
stress?
denial, rationalization, displacement,
projection, suppression, repression,
regression, reaction formation, undoing,
altruism, compensation, sublimation
What is denial?
denying there is even an issue or
pretending the truth is not reality
What is rationalization?
creates reasonable and acceptable
explanations for unacceptable behavior
What is displacement?
transfer of emotions from one target to
another that is considered less threatening
or neutral
What is suppression?
NR 326 EXAM 1 MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
COMPLETE MASTERY GUIDE (2025–2026) —
FULLY UPDATED & VERIFIED QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS & DETAILED CLINICAL
RATIONALES
What are the stages of the nurse-client
relationship?
Pre-orientation, Orientation, Working,
Termination
What is the pre-orientation stage?
before meeting patient, mental prep for
what can happen/occur, reading patient's
chart
What is the orientation stage?
Introduction, boundaries, build trust, set
goals
What is the working stage?
,2|Page
maintain relationship, problem-solving &
coping skills
What is the termination stage?
End of relationship, summarize goals, plans
for future
What are the positive factors that affect
the therapeutic relationship?
empathy/sympathy, genuineness, time,
trust, respect, listening
What is the difference between sympathy
and empathy?
Sympathy: understanding with experience
Empathy: understanding without
experience
What are the negative factors that affect
the therapeutic relationship?
,3|Page
judgement, transference,
countertransference
What is the difference between
transference and countertransference?
Transference: patient unconsciously
displaces emotional reactions and patterns
of behavior onto others
Countertransference: nurse displaces
feelings related to people in one's past onto
the patient
What are some communication
techniques?
active listening, silence, asking open-ended
questions, summarizing, clarification,
paraphrasing, making observations, offering
self, empathy
, 4|Page
What are some defense mechanisms for
stress?
denial, rationalization, displacement,
projection, suppression, repression,
regression, reaction formation, undoing,
altruism, compensation, sublimation
What is denial?
denying there is even an issue or
pretending the truth is not reality
What is rationalization?
creates reasonable and acceptable
explanations for unacceptable behavior
What is displacement?
transfer of emotions from one target to
another that is considered less threatening
or neutral
What is suppression?
