2026 ATI RN Mental Health Proctored Exam
New Latest Version with All Questions,
100% Correct Answers and Rationale
Question 1
A charge nurse is discussing mental status exams with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the
following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates an understanding of the teaching?
(Select all that apply)
A) "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by sevens."
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 objects."
E) "To assess the client's abstract thinking, I should ask the client to identify our most recent
presidents."
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: Counting backward by sevens assesses cognitive ability. Observing facial expression
assesses affect. Writing a sentence assesses language ability. Remote memory is assessed by
asking about verifiable past events, not by repeating a list (which tests immediate recall).
Abstract thinking is assessed by interpreting proverbs, not by identifying presidents (which tests
general knowledge) .
Question 2
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the following
actions should the nurse 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.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Psychobiological interventions focus on the physical and biological aspects of care,
including medication management and monitoring for side effects. Psychotherapeutic
interventions (A, B) address psychological factors, and assessment (C) is a foundational nursing
action .
Question 3
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview.
When conducting the interview, which of the following actions should the nurse identify as the
priority?
A) Coordinate holistic care with social services.
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.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During the initial interview, the priority is to gather data and understand the client's
,perspective on their own mental health status. This establishes a foundation for the therapeutic
relationship and guides subsequent care .
Question 4
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client,
which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A) The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub.
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.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A stuporous client requires vigorous or painful stimulation to elicit a response and
will briefly arouse but return to an unresponsive state. A GCS less than 7 indicates coma .
Question 5
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the DSM-5. Which of the following
information is appropriate to include? (Select all that apply)
A) The DSM-5 includes client education handouts for mental health disorders.
B) The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders.
C) The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment for mental health disorders.
D) The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care for clients who have mental health disorders.
E) The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders.
Correct Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: The DSM-5 provides diagnostic criteria, assists in care planning by identifying
expected findings, and helps nurses understand assessment parameters. It does not provide client
education handouts or recommend specific pharmacological treatments .
Question 6
A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. The nurse should
identify that which of the following clients requires a temporary emergency admission?
A) A client who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur.
B) A client who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago.
C) A client who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod.
D) A client who has bipolar disorder and paces quickly around the room while talking to himself.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Temporary emergency admission is warranted when a client poses an imminent
threat to self or others. Assaulting another person with a weapon clearly meets this criterion .
Question 7
A nurse decides to put a client who has a psychotic disorder in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. The nurse's actions
are an example of which of the following torts?
A) Invasion of privacy
B) False imprisonment
C) Assault
D) Battery
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: False imprisonment occurs when a client is confined or restrained without proper
justification or legal authority. Using seclusion for staff convenience rather than therapeutic
,necessity constitutes false imprisonment .
Question 8
A client tells a nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A) Keep the client's communication confidential since it was told to the nurse in private.
B) Ask the client to discuss this concern during the next community meeting.
C) Report the statement to the health care team during the next staff meeting.
D) Remove the knife while the client is out of the room and place it in the secured area.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Safety is the priority. The knife poses an immediate safety risk. The nurse must
ensure a safe environment by removing the weapon. Confidentiality is limited when safety is
threatened .
Question 9
A nurse is caring for a client who smokes and has lung cancer. The client reports, "I'm coughing
because I have that cold that everyone has been getting." The nurse should identify that the client
is using which of the following defense mechanisms?
A) Reaction formation
B) Denial
C) Displacement
D) Sublimation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Denial is refusing to acknowledge the reality of a situation. The client is minimizing
the seriousness of the cough by attributing it to a common cold rather than accepting the lung
cancer diagnosis .
Question 10
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a client who was just informed that she requires
emergency surgery. The client has a respiratory rate of 30/min and says, "This is difficult to
comprehend. I feel shaky and nervous." The nurse should identify that the client is experiencing
which of the following levels of anxiety?
A) Mild
B) Moderate
C) Severe
D) Panic
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Moderate anxiety narrows the perceptual field but the client can still focus with
direction. Physical symptoms include increased respiratory rate and muscle tension. The client
remains able to verbalize feelings .
Question 11
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing moderate anxiety. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take when trying to give necessary information to the client? (Select all
that apply)
A) Reassure the client that everything will be okay.
B) Discuss prior use of coping mechanisms with the client.
C) Ignore the client's anxiety so that she will not be embarrassed.
D) Demonstrate a calm manner while using simple and clear directions.
, E) Gather information from the client using closed-ended questions.
Correct Answer: B, D
Rationale: Discussing prior coping mechanisms helps the client build on past successes. A calm
demeanor and simple, clear directions reduce anxiety. False reassurance (A) is nontherapeutic.
Ignoring anxiety (C) dismisses the client's feelings. Closed-ended questions (E) limit
communication .
Question 12
A nurse is talking with a client who is at risk for suicide following the death of his spouse.
Which of the following statements should the nurse make?
A) "I feel very sorry for the loneliness you must be experiencing."
B) "Suicide is not the appropriate way to cope with loss."
C) "Losing someone close to you must be very upsetting."
D) "I know how difficult it is to lose a loved one."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: This is an empathetic, open-ended statement that validates the client's feelings
without offering sympathy (A), judgment (B), or making the conversation about the nurse (D). It
encourages the client to express feelings .
Question 13
A charge nurse is discussing the characteristics of a nurse-client relationship with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following characteristics should the nurse include? (Select all that
apply)
A) The needs of both participants are met.
B) An emotional commitment exists between the participants.
C) It is goal-directed.
D) Behavioral change is encouraged.
E) A termination date is established.
Correct Answer: C, D, E
Rationale: Therapeutic relationships are goal-directed, focus on encouraging behavioral change,
and have a planned termination. The relationship is client-centered (needs of both are not met
equally), and while empathy exists, emotional commitment (friendship) is not appropriate .
Question 14
A nurse is in the working phase of a therapeutic relationship with a client who has
methamphetamine use disorder. Which of the following actions indicates transference behavior?
A) The client asks the nurse whether she will go out to dinner with him.
B) The client accuses the nurse of telling him what to do just like his ex-girlfriend.
C) The client reminds the nurse of a friend who died from a substance overdose.
D) The client becomes angry and threatens to harm himself.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Transference occurs when the client unconsciously displaces feelings toward a
significant person from the past onto the nurse. Accusing the nurse of acting like an ex-girlfriend
is a classic example .
Question 15
A nurse is working in a community mental health facility. Which of the following services does
this type of program provide? (Select all that apply)
A) Educational groups
B) Medication dispensing programs
New Latest Version with All Questions,
100% Correct Answers and Rationale
Question 1
A charge nurse is discussing mental status exams with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the
following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates an understanding of the teaching?
(Select all that apply)
A) "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by sevens."
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 objects."
E) "To assess the client's abstract thinking, I should ask the client to identify our most recent
presidents."
Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: Counting backward by sevens assesses cognitive ability. Observing facial expression
assesses affect. Writing a sentence assesses language ability. Remote memory is assessed by
asking about verifiable past events, not by repeating a list (which tests immediate recall).
Abstract thinking is assessed by interpreting proverbs, not by identifying presidents (which tests
general knowledge) .
Question 2
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder. Which of the following
actions should the nurse 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.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Psychobiological interventions focus on the physical and biological aspects of care,
including medication management and monitoring for side effects. Psychotherapeutic
interventions (A, B) address psychological factors, and assessment (C) is a foundational nursing
action .
Question 3
A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial client interview.
When conducting the interview, which of the following actions should the nurse identify as the
priority?
A) Coordinate holistic care with social services.
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.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During the initial interview, the priority is to gather data and understand the client's
,perspective on their own mental health status. This establishes a foundation for the therapeutic
relationship and guides subsequent care .
Question 4
A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous. When assessing the client,
which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A) The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub.
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.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A stuporous client requires vigorous or painful stimulation to elicit a response and
will briefly arouse but return to an unresponsive state. A GCS less than 7 indicates coma .
Question 5
A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the DSM-5. Which of the following
information is appropriate to include? (Select all that apply)
A) The DSM-5 includes client education handouts for mental health disorders.
B) The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders.
C) The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment for mental health disorders.
D) The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care for clients who have mental health disorders.
E) The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders.
Correct Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: The DSM-5 provides diagnostic criteria, assists in care planning by identifying
expected findings, and helps nurses understand assessment parameters. It does not provide client
education handouts or recommend specific pharmacological treatments .
Question 6
A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of clients. The nurse should
identify that which of the following clients requires a temporary emergency admission?
A) A client who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur.
B) A client who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago.
C) A client who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man with a metal
rod.
D) A client who has bipolar disorder and paces quickly around the room while talking to himself.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Temporary emergency admission is warranted when a client poses an imminent
threat to self or others. Assaulting another person with a weapon clearly meets this criterion .
Question 7
A nurse decides to put a client who has a psychotic disorder in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very short-staffed, and the client frequently fights with other clients. The nurse's actions
are an example of which of the following torts?
A) Invasion of privacy
B) False imprisonment
C) Assault
D) Battery
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: False imprisonment occurs when a client is confined or restrained without proper
justification or legal authority. Using seclusion for staff convenience rather than therapeutic
,necessity constitutes false imprisonment .
Question 8
A client tells a nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order to
protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me and threatening me." Which of
the following actions should the nurse take?
A) Keep the client's communication confidential since it was told to the nurse in private.
B) Ask the client to discuss this concern during the next community meeting.
C) Report the statement to the health care team during the next staff meeting.
D) Remove the knife while the client is out of the room and place it in the secured area.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Safety is the priority. The knife poses an immediate safety risk. The nurse must
ensure a safe environment by removing the weapon. Confidentiality is limited when safety is
threatened .
Question 9
A nurse is caring for a client who smokes and has lung cancer. The client reports, "I'm coughing
because I have that cold that everyone has been getting." The nurse should identify that the client
is using which of the following defense mechanisms?
A) Reaction formation
B) Denial
C) Displacement
D) Sublimation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Denial is refusing to acknowledge the reality of a situation. The client is minimizing
the seriousness of the cough by attributing it to a common cold rather than accepting the lung
cancer diagnosis .
Question 10
A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a client who was just informed that she requires
emergency surgery. The client has a respiratory rate of 30/min and says, "This is difficult to
comprehend. I feel shaky and nervous." The nurse should identify that the client is experiencing
which of the following levels of anxiety?
A) Mild
B) Moderate
C) Severe
D) Panic
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Moderate anxiety narrows the perceptual field but the client can still focus with
direction. Physical symptoms include increased respiratory rate and muscle tension. The client
remains able to verbalize feelings .
Question 11
A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing moderate anxiety. Which of the following
actions should the nurse take when trying to give necessary information to the client? (Select all
that apply)
A) Reassure the client that everything will be okay.
B) Discuss prior use of coping mechanisms with the client.
C) Ignore the client's anxiety so that she will not be embarrassed.
D) Demonstrate a calm manner while using simple and clear directions.
, E) Gather information from the client using closed-ended questions.
Correct Answer: B, D
Rationale: Discussing prior coping mechanisms helps the client build on past successes. A calm
demeanor and simple, clear directions reduce anxiety. False reassurance (A) is nontherapeutic.
Ignoring anxiety (C) dismisses the client's feelings. Closed-ended questions (E) limit
communication .
Question 12
A nurse is talking with a client who is at risk for suicide following the death of his spouse.
Which of the following statements should the nurse make?
A) "I feel very sorry for the loneliness you must be experiencing."
B) "Suicide is not the appropriate way to cope with loss."
C) "Losing someone close to you must be very upsetting."
D) "I know how difficult it is to lose a loved one."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: This is an empathetic, open-ended statement that validates the client's feelings
without offering sympathy (A), judgment (B), or making the conversation about the nurse (D). It
encourages the client to express feelings .
Question 13
A charge nurse is discussing the characteristics of a nurse-client relationship with a newly
licensed nurse. Which of the following characteristics should the nurse include? (Select all that
apply)
A) The needs of both participants are met.
B) An emotional commitment exists between the participants.
C) It is goal-directed.
D) Behavioral change is encouraged.
E) A termination date is established.
Correct Answer: C, D, E
Rationale: Therapeutic relationships are goal-directed, focus on encouraging behavioral change,
and have a planned termination. The relationship is client-centered (needs of both are not met
equally), and while empathy exists, emotional commitment (friendship) is not appropriate .
Question 14
A nurse is in the working phase of a therapeutic relationship with a client who has
methamphetamine use disorder. Which of the following actions indicates transference behavior?
A) The client asks the nurse whether she will go out to dinner with him.
B) The client accuses the nurse of telling him what to do just like his ex-girlfriend.
C) The client reminds the nurse of a friend who died from a substance overdose.
D) The client becomes angry and threatens to harm himself.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Transference occurs when the client unconsciously displaces feelings toward a
significant person from the past onto the nurse. Accusing the nurse of acting like an ex-girlfriend
is a classic example .
Question 15
A nurse is working in a community mental health facility. Which of the following services does
this type of program provide? (Select all that apply)
A) Educational groups
B) Medication dispensing programs
