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ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH Questions and
Correct Answers
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a
newly licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the
newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count
backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list
of objec Ans: — D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the
client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess
immediate, rather than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health
disorder. Which of the following is appropriate to include as a
psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
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ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive
and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to
conduct an initial client interview. When conducting the interview,
which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health
status.
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A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing
process approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental
health status provides important information about the client's
psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is
stuporous. When assessing the client, which of the following is an
expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to
elicit a response.
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B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of
consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
Which of the following is appropriate to include in the discussion?
(SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Ans: — A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic
criteria, used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and
identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
© 2025 All rights reserved
ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH Questions and
Correct Answers
A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a
newly licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the
newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count
backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a
sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list
of objec Ans: — D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the
client repeat a list of objects."
Asking the client to repeat a list of objects is appropriate to assess
immediate, rather than remote, memory.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health
disorder. Which of the following is appropriate to include as a
psychobiological intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive
and behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to
conduct an initial client interview. When conducting the interview,
which of the following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health
status.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing
process approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental
health status provides important information about the client's
psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is
stuporous. When assessing the client, which of the following is an
expected finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Ans: — A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to
elicit a response.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of
consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
Which of the following is appropriate to include in the discussion?
(SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Ans: — A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic
criteria, used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and
identifies expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
© 2025 All rights reserved
