ESSENTIALS OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING,
3RD EDITION
MARY ANN BOYD; REBECCA LUEBBERT
TEST BANK
Item 1 — Chapter 1: Mental Health and Mental Disorders —
Fighting Stigma and Promoting Recovery
Type: Preventive/psychosocial guidance
Stem: A 22-year-old college student discloses to a nurse that
she is afraid to seek counseling because of stigma. Which nurse
response best supports recovery-oriented, anti-stigma care?
Options:
A. “If you go, your family might find out and you’ll regret it.”
B. “Many people benefit — tell me what worries you most
about seeking help.”
C. “You probably don’t need counseling; try to be more
resilient.”
D. “I’ll make you an appointment without asking more.”
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale — Correct: This response uses empathic, person-
centered inquiry that validates concerns and encourages shared
decision-making, consistent with recovery-oriented care.
Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing, Chapter 1 — Mental Health
and Mental Disorders: Fighting Stigma and Promoting Recovery.
LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Discourages help-seeking and amplifies stigma.
C. Minimizes the patient’s concerns and is nontherapeutic.
D. Makes decisions without collaboration and may feel coercive.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Assesses therapeutic communication
and psychosocial integrity (patient-centered care, stigma
reduction).
Teaching Point: Encourage open discussion; validate concerns
and support autonomy.
Item 2 — Chapter 8: Therapeutic Communication —
Therapeutic Communication Techniques
Type: Conceptual recall
Stem: Which therapeutic communication technique is
demonstrated when a nurse says, “You’ve mentioned feeling
anxious a lot this week — tell me more about what that’s like”?
Options:
A. Confrontation
B. Reflection
C. Interpretation
,D. Giving advice
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Reflection restates feelings to encourage
elaboration and awareness. Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing,
Chapter 8 — Therapeutic Communication. LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Confrontation challenges inconsistencies; this stem is
supportive, not confrontational.
C. Interpretation offers underlying meanings; the stem reflects
rather than interprets.
D. Giving advice prescribes action; the stem elicits description.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Tests therapeutic communication
skills (psychosocial integrity).
Teaching Point: Reflection encourages deeper patient
exploration.
Item 3 — Chapter 9: The Nurse–Patient Relationship —
Establishing Boundaries
Type: Application
Stem: A nurse notices that a previously reserved patient begins
sharing extensive personal details and asks to meet after
discharge. What is the nurse’s best next action?
Options:
A. Accept and schedule a private meeting.
B. Explain professional boundaries and offer community
referrals.
, C. Tell the patient to keep conversations short.
D. Share the nurse’s personal phone number for support.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Maintaining therapeutic boundaries while
providing referrals supports patient needs safely. Essentials of
Psychiatric Nursing, Chapter 9 — The Nurse–Patient
Relationship. LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Scheduling private meetings blurs professional boundaries.
C. “Keep it short” is dismissive and nontherapeutic.
D. Sharing personal contact violates professional boundaries.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Safety and professional standards;
therapeutic relationship.
Teaching Point: Protect boundaries; link patients to appropriate
resources.
Item 4 — Chapter 10: The Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing
Process — Mental Status Exam
Type: Clinical scenario
Stem: A 45-year-old man is brought by police for erratic
behavior. On MSE he is highly distractible, reports racing
thoughts, and sleep has been 2 hours nightly for 3 days. Which
element of the MSE is most critical to assess next?
Options:
A. Immediate memory recall only
B. Risk assessment for harm to self or others
3RD EDITION
MARY ANN BOYD; REBECCA LUEBBERT
TEST BANK
Item 1 — Chapter 1: Mental Health and Mental Disorders —
Fighting Stigma and Promoting Recovery
Type: Preventive/psychosocial guidance
Stem: A 22-year-old college student discloses to a nurse that
she is afraid to seek counseling because of stigma. Which nurse
response best supports recovery-oriented, anti-stigma care?
Options:
A. “If you go, your family might find out and you’ll regret it.”
B. “Many people benefit — tell me what worries you most
about seeking help.”
C. “You probably don’t need counseling; try to be more
resilient.”
D. “I’ll make you an appointment without asking more.”
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale — Correct: This response uses empathic, person-
centered inquiry that validates concerns and encourages shared
decision-making, consistent with recovery-oriented care.
Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing, Chapter 1 — Mental Health
and Mental Disorders: Fighting Stigma and Promoting Recovery.
LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Discourages help-seeking and amplifies stigma.
C. Minimizes the patient’s concerns and is nontherapeutic.
D. Makes decisions without collaboration and may feel coercive.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Assesses therapeutic communication
and psychosocial integrity (patient-centered care, stigma
reduction).
Teaching Point: Encourage open discussion; validate concerns
and support autonomy.
Item 2 — Chapter 8: Therapeutic Communication —
Therapeutic Communication Techniques
Type: Conceptual recall
Stem: Which therapeutic communication technique is
demonstrated when a nurse says, “You’ve mentioned feeling
anxious a lot this week — tell me more about what that’s like”?
Options:
A. Confrontation
B. Reflection
C. Interpretation
,D. Giving advice
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Reflection restates feelings to encourage
elaboration and awareness. Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing,
Chapter 8 — Therapeutic Communication. LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Confrontation challenges inconsistencies; this stem is
supportive, not confrontational.
C. Interpretation offers underlying meanings; the stem reflects
rather than interprets.
D. Giving advice prescribes action; the stem elicits description.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Tests therapeutic communication
skills (psychosocial integrity).
Teaching Point: Reflection encourages deeper patient
exploration.
Item 3 — Chapter 9: The Nurse–Patient Relationship —
Establishing Boundaries
Type: Application
Stem: A nurse notices that a previously reserved patient begins
sharing extensive personal details and asks to meet after
discharge. What is the nurse’s best next action?
Options:
A. Accept and schedule a private meeting.
B. Explain professional boundaries and offer community
referrals.
, C. Tell the patient to keep conversations short.
D. Share the nurse’s personal phone number for support.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Maintaining therapeutic boundaries while
providing referrals supports patient needs safely. Essentials of
Psychiatric Nursing, Chapter 9 — The Nurse–Patient
Relationship. LWW Official Store
Rationales — Incorrect:
A. Scheduling private meetings blurs professional boundaries.
C. “Keep it short” is dismissive and nontherapeutic.
D. Sharing personal contact violates professional boundaries.
NCLEX/HESI applicability: Safety and professional standards;
therapeutic relationship.
Teaching Point: Protect boundaries; link patients to appropriate
resources.
Item 4 — Chapter 10: The Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing
Process — Mental Status Exam
Type: Clinical scenario
Stem: A 45-year-old man is brought by police for erratic
behavior. On MSE he is highly distractible, reports racing
thoughts, and sleep has been 2 hours nightly for 3 days. Which
element of the MSE is most critical to assess next?
Options:
A. Immediate memory recall only
B. Risk assessment for harm to self or others
