Updated/Latest Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition by Sheila L Videbeck 2025–2026 Comprehensive Test Bank Questions and Answers for Mental Health Nursing Examination Preparation Therapeutic Communication Clinical Judgment Psychiatric Care and NC

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 8th editionby Videbeck Test Bank F F F F F F F F




Chapter 1 F




1. The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted client.
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Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positiveimpact on the
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individual's mental health?
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A) Notneeding others for companionship F F F F




B) The ability to effectively manage stress F F F F F




C) A family history of mental illness F F F F F




D) Strivingfortotalself-reliance F F F




Ans: B
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Feedback:
Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup, autonomy, F F F F F F F F




independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning in life,
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emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping or stress
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management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of separateness
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and connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a healthyperson
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would need others for companionship. Afamilyhistory of mental illness could relate to the
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biologic makeup of an individual, which may have anegative impact on an individual's
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mental health, as well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal and
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socialñcultural factors of health. Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive
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social/cultural factor is access to adequate resources.
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2. Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
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A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. F F F F F F F F F




B) Mental illness is only due to social/cultural factors. F F F F F F F




C) Social/cultural factorsthat relateto mental illnessincludeexcessivedependency on or F F F F F F F F F F F




withdrawal from relationships.
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D) Individuals sufferingfrom mental illnessareusuallyabletocopeeffectivelywith daily F F F F F F F F F F F F




life. F




E) Individualssufferingfrom mentalillnessmayexperiencedissatisfactionwith F F F F F F F F




relationships and self. F F F




Ans: A, D, E F F F




Feedback:
Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. Mental illness
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may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors. Excessive dependency
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on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to mental illness.
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Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with dailylife. Individuals
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sufferingfrommental illnessmayexperiencedissatisfaction with relationships and self.
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,3. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness?
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A) Behavior that maybe viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in F F F F F F F F F F F F F




other cultures. F F




B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
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C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
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wellnessevidencedbysatisfyinginterpersonal relationships,effectivebehavior and
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coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability.
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D) Personswho engagein fantasiesarementallyill. F F F F F F F




Ans: C
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Feedback:
What one societymayviewas acceptable and appropriate behavior, another societymay see
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that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness are difficult to define
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precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social
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wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping,
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positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who engage in fantasies may be
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mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that
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may contribute to mental illness.
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4. Aclient grieving the recent lossof her husband asks if she is becoming mentallyill
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because she is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
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A) ìYoumayhave atemporarymental illness because you are experiencing so much pain.î
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B) ìYou are not mentally ill. Thisis an expected reaction to the loss you have
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experienced.î F




C) ìWere you generallydissatisfiedwith yourrelationshipbefore yourhusband's F F F F F F F F F




death?î F




D) ìTrynot to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings.î Ans:
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Feedback:
Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective relationships,
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ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior must not be
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culturally expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental
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illness. False reassurance oroveranalysisdoesnot accuratelyaddress theclient's concerns.
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,5. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
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A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
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B) Topredict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
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C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
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D) Toserveasaguideforclientassessment F F F F F F F




Ans: D
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Feedback:
The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and identifies
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underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic outcomes
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of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist RN's scope of practice, so
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documenting the code in the medical record would be inappropriate.
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6. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
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A) Identifying the medical diagnosis F F F




B) Treat clients F




C) Evaluate treatments F




D) Understand thereason fortheadmission and thenatureofpsychiatric illnesses. Ans: F F F F F F F F F F F F




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Feedback:
Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it a helpful
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resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building knowledge about
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the nature ofpsychiatric illnesses. Identifying themedical diagnosis, treating, and evaluating
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treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
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7. The legislation enacted in 1963 was largelyresponsible for which of the following shifts in care
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for the mentally ill?
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A) The widespread use of community-based services
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B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies F F F




C) Increased access to hospitalization F F F




D) Improved rights forclients inlong-terminstitutionalcare F F F F F F F




Ans: A
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Feedback:
TheCommunityMental Health Centers Construction Act of1963 accomplished the release of
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individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in admissions to hospitals,
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and the development of community-based services as an alternative to hospital care.
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, 8. Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?
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A) Making it easier to commit people for mental health treatment against their will. F F F F F F F F F F F F




B) Makingit moredifficult to commitpeoplefor mental health treatment against their F F F F F F F F F F F F




will. F




C) State mental institutions being the primary source of care for mentally ill persons.
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D) Improvedcareformentallyillpersons. F F F F F




Ans: B
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Feedback:
Commitment laws changed in the early 1970s, making it more difficult to commit people F F F F F F F F F F F F F




for mental health treatment against their will. Deinstitutionalization accomplished the
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release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions. Deinstitutionalization
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also had negative effects in that some mentally ill persons are subjected to the revolving
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door effect, which may limit care for mentally ill persons.
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9. The goal of the 1963 Community Mental Health Centers Act was to
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A) ensure patients' rights for the mentally ill. F F F F F F




B) deinstitutionalize state hospitals. F F




C) provide funds to build hospitals with psychiatric units. F F F F F F F




D) treatpeople withmentalillnessin ahumanefashion. F F F F F F F F




Ans: B
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Feedback:
The 1963 Community Mental Health Centers Act intimated the movement toward treating
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those with mental illness in a less restrictive environment. This legislation resulted in the shift
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of clients with mental illness from large state institutions to care based in the community.
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Answer choices A, C, and Dwere not purposes of the 1963 Community Mental Health Centers
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Act.
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10. The creation of asylums during the 1800s was meant to
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A) improve treatment of mental disorders. F F F F




B) provide food and shelter for the mentally ill. F F F F F F F




C) punish people with mental illness who were believed to be possessed. F F F F F F F F F F




D) removedangerouspeople withmentalillnessfrom thecommunity. F F F F F F F F




Ans: B
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Feedback:
The asylum was meant to be a safe haven with food, shelter, and humane treatment for the
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mentally ill. Asylums were not used to improve treatment of mental disorders or to punish
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mentally ill people who were believed to be possessed. The asylum was not created to remove
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the dangerously mentally ill from the community.
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